The assassination of three senior Islamic Jihad operatives in Operation Shield and Arrow shocked the Arab world. Beyond the condemnations, the attack on the night between Monday and Tuesday also surprised Egypt, which recently mediated between Israel and Hamas to prevent escalation.
Palestinian sources reported that senior jihadists – Khalil Bhitini, Jihad Ghannam and Tareq Izz al-Din – were supposed to travel to Cairo for political meetings with Egyptian intelligence. According to reports, the three were preparing to leave Gaza after receiving a permit to cross and spent the night with their families. At around 2:<> A.M., the Israeli Air Force attacked the families' homes, killing them. Their children and wives were also killed in the operation.
The attack in the Gaza Strip tonight. Three senior jihadists were eliminated, Photo: AFP
Subsequently, the Arab media reported anger and confusion among the Egyptian mediators. At the center of the dispute between Israel and Egypt, since Egypt warned Israel against returning to its policy of assassinations, and even received signals that the IDF would refrain from doing so. Sources in Egyptian intelligence believed that it would be better to let Israel understand for itself that it had made a mistake in the operation, and that in any case there was no point in a premature military effort that would end in failure and embarrassment for Cairo. Others believed that mediation should continue. Accordingly, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry condemned Israel, warning that its actions could lead to a loss of control and undermine efforts to achieve calm.
"A thousand substitutes for every fatality"
Throughout the day, Islamic Jihad called on all Palestinians to unite in a joint response against Israel. The terror organization also promised that for every fatality "a thousand replacements will come." Hamas leaders abroad answered the call. Ismail Haniyeh and the head of the headquarters abroad, Khaled Mashaal, spoke of "united resistance and a decisive response." On the other hand, the joint operations room of Hamas, Jihad and the other terrorist organizations in Gaza used less direct language, threatening that Israel would "pay the price, Allah willing."
While Egypt skipped over both clauses, Qatar and Jordan each began operating in its own sector. The Qatari Foreign Ministry confirmed that it is making intensive efforts to stop the escalation and reduce tensions. Doha, which hosts Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and has economic leverage over the organization, condemned Jerusalem and warned of "the widening cycle of violence because of the Israeli escalation."
In the meantime, Jordan began working with the Palestinian Authority. A Jordanian helicopter landed in Ramallah yesterday and flew Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to Amman, where he met with King Abdullah to discuss escalation. Amman, who just earlier this week killed a drug dealer in southern Syria along with his family, issued a strong condemnation of Israel's "continued aggression and provocations."
Khaled Mashaal (right), Emir of Qatar and Mahmoud Abbas, Reuters, Photo: Reuters
The assassination of senior Islamic Jihad figures involved in directing terrorist attacks in Judea and Samaria from the Gaza Strip also served as an Israeli message to the pro-Iranian axis' multi-arena strategy. Accordingly, Iran and Hezbollah seemed to be taking a step back. The Iranian foreign ministry made do with condemnation and a general and vague call for "direct and deterrent measures" against Israel and in coordination with Arab countries. Hezbollah, for its part, declared solidarity with Islamic Jihad and supported "all options and steps that jihad and Palestinian resistance factions will take to deter Israel."
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