‘No immunity to Hamas leaders during ceasefire’, says Israel

TEL AVIV — Even as the four-day ceasefire between Hamas and Israel is underway and two groups of hostages released on Friday and Saturday, Israeli government has ordered its intelligence agency, Mossad, to assassinate senior Hamas leaders.

Sources in Israel government told IANS that no assurance was given to Qatar and Egyptian mediators that there was immunity to Hamas leaders during the ceasefire and after.

The Israel Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has clearly told mediapersons that the senior leaders of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, Khaled Mashal, Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif were living on borrowed time and they would soon be dead men even if they live in any part of the globe.

However, sources in Israel government told IANS that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed to Qatar that these leaders won’t be killed on its soil, an assurance Qatar wanted for entering into mediatory talks.

Israel, according to information available is also targeting Khalil al-Hayya, who is the Politburo member of Hamas and second-in military operations after Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif, the two men responsible for the October 7 massacre and mayhem in southern Israel leading to the present war.

With the ceasefire entering into the third day, the question is whether Israel would agree for an extension of ceasefire or would commence military ground invasions after Monday.

Sources in Israel who are privy to discussions told IANS that the two sides have agreed upon an extension of ceasefire for a few more days and release people from both sides.

Also read: Hamas to release 14 Israel hostages, 42 Palestinians also to be freed