However, some believe that Israel’s attempts to kill Hamas’ leaders could be impractical and ineffective.
Yossi Melman, a journalist and author who has covered the Israeli security services for decades, told the Guardian that Israel’s plan “won’t solve anything.”
He added: “The Israeli intelligence community is in love with assassinations, and now they are ashamed, humiliated and they want to redeem themselves.”
The Guardian also interviewed five Palestinians who have all been targets of Israel assassination campaigns in the past. They all agreed that attempts on their lives only strengthened their convictions and helped recruitment to their groups.
Bassem Abu Sharif was injured by a bomb sent by Israel in 1972. The attack left him unable to smell and taste, he lost an eye while losing 65 percent of his sight in the other, and he lost a finger.
Despite this, he said: “I never had fear in my heart. I never hesitated to do a mission, even the most dangerous.”
Tawfiq Tirawi, a former Fatah intelligence chief active in the 1970s, said of the assassination attempts on both sides of the conflict: “There was an exchange of assassinations between us and the Israelis.
“It did not deter us. It made us fight more.”
Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated his ambition to “continue the war to the end”.
He added: “It will continue until Hamas is destroyed — until victory…until all the goals we set are met: destroying Hamas, releasing our hostages and removing the threat from Gaza.
“Anyone who thinks we’ll stop is unmoored from reality… We’re raining fire on Hamas, hellfire.
‘All Hamas terrorists, from first to last, face death. They have two options only: surrender or die.”
