Israeli security chief vows to hunt down Hamas leaders

The chief of Israel’s domestic security agency, Shin Bet, declared in a taped message carried by Israel’s public broadcaster Kan on Sunday that Israel will pursue Hamas in Lebanon, Turkey, and Qatar, even if it takes years. When and to whom Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar made the comments was unclear. Regarding the report, the agency itself chose not to comment. “The cabinet has set us a goal, in street talk, to eliminate Hamas. This is our Munich. We will do this everywhere, in Gaza, in the West Bank, in Lebanon, in Turkey, in Qatar. It will take a few years but we will be there to do it.” Bar used the term “Munich” to describe Israel’s response to the 1972 Munich Olympics shooting massacre that claimed the lives of eleven Israeli athletes. The attackers were members of the Palestinian Black September gang. In response, Israel launched a multi-year, multi-national operation of targeted assassinations targeting Black September organisers and operators. After Hamas terrorists broke through the border with Gaza on October 7, killing 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and kidnapping about 240 more, Israel swore to destroy the terrorist organisation. According to Gaza’s health ministry, Israel’s offensive in the region has resulted in more than 15,500 deaths to date. Hamas leaders, aside from Gaza, live in Lebanon, Turkey, and Qatar, or go there often. The week-long truce broke down on Friday, with Qatar’s assistance in mediating it. Since Australia, Canada, the European Union, Israel, Japan, and the United States have labelled Hamas as a terrorist organisation, a number of nations have extended some form of protection to the group over the years. Israeli Mossad agents failed in their attempt to poison Khaled Meshaal, the head of Hamas, in Jordan in 1997. To save Meshaal’s life, Israel had to give Jordan an antidote. Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, held that position at the time. (With agency inputs)