Assassination attempts
Hamas is terrified of the Mossad (with Good Reason)
Hamas scrambles to prevent a new wave of overseas assassinations, issuing extreme security rules for its top leaders, no phones, no electronics, no fixed meeting locations. As fears of an imminent Israeli strike rise, the terror group goes underground in a high-stakes regional shadow war.
Hamas has rolled out stringent new security protocols for its senior officials operating outside Gaza, driven by mounting concerns over potential Israeli assassination attempts, according to a report in the Arabic-language newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat.
Sources within the terrorist organization told the outlet that, despite assurances from U.S. mediators to host countries like Turkey, Qatar and Egypt, Hamas's leadership is convinced that Israel is gearing up for further targeted operations. This paranoia has intensified following last week's elimination of senior Hezbollah commander Haitham Tabatabai by Israeli forces.
The sources attributed the heightened alert to a breakdown in trust regarding Israel's commitments, particularly amid stalled negotiations over the second phase of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. They claimed Israel's stance reflects a belief that Hamas has no genuine interest in pursuing a comprehensive deal.
Some Hamas insiders speculated that the next strike could occur on non-Arab territory, though no specific locations were identified.
Since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, sparked by Hamas's brutal invasion of southern Israel, Jerusalem has conducted several high-profile operations abroad to neutralize key figures in the group:
Enhanced Precautions to Thwart Surveillance
In light of these threats, Hamas has distributed an internal directive outlining rigorous safety measures for its exiled leaders. The document, obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat, instructs officials to:
The guidelines caution that Israeli intelligence employs sophisticated tactics, such as embedding miniature cameras during routine building repairs, exploiting mobile devices, Wi-Fi networks and everyday household electronics for surveillance. It emphasizes that simply powering down phones is inadequate, and even smartwatches could inadvertently disclose the number of individuals in a room.
Hamas operatives abroad have already begun enforcing these rules, as the group prepares for what it perceives as an imminent Israeli move against its command structure.
This development is part of the ongoing cat-and-mouse game between Israel and Hamas, with Jerusalem's intelligence apparatus demonstrating its long reach in dismantling terrorist networks responsible for the October 7, 2023, atrocities that claimed over 1,200 Israeli lives.