The American newspaper "The Wall Street Journal" published a report revealing Israel's plan to assassinate Hamas leaders around the world once its war in the Gaza Strip concludes. The newspaper cited Israeli officials stating that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered intelligence agencies to devise plans to eliminate senior Hamas leaders living outside Gaza "anywhere in the world."
This plan recalls the 1970s when Israel initiated a years-long campaign to assassinate Palestinian leaders following the attack on the Israeli sports delegation during the Munich Olympics. According to the report, some have urged Israel to immediately assassinate Khaled Mashal, the head of Hamas abroad, among others, "right after the October 7 attack," carried out by the movement against Israel.
However, "doing so on Qatari or Turkish soil could lead to tension or undermine diplomatic efforts to release hostages, leading to the postponement of the idea," according to "The Wall Street Journal." Netanyahu hinted at Israel's plans to carry out assassinations abroad in a speech delivered in late November, which raised concerns among some who preferred to keep future campaigns discreet, as per the American newspaper.
Netanyahu explicitly stated during a speech on November 22: "I have instructed the Mossad to act against Hamas leaders wherever they are." "The Wall Street Journal" noted that "assassinations abroad could violate international law and risk backlash from the countries where the operations occur." However, from a practical standpoint, the newspaper noted, "these concerns have not previously deterred Israel, as it has always escaped the negative repercussions of overseas assassinations."
