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Monday, January 26, 2009

Terrified Hamas military leadership still in hiding

GAZA CITY — Hamas commanders, more than a week after a ceasefire, remain underground in fear of Israeli attack.   

Palestinian sources said Hamas political leaders have reemerged in an effort to restore control over the Gaza Strip. But they said military commanders have not resurfaced.

"No one is sure that Israel won't try to knock out another few members of the Hamas military command," a Palestinian source said.

So far, the only Hamas military leader to have been seen in public was Yusef Zahar, a founder of Hamas's Executive Force, Middle East Newsline reported. Zahar gave a news conference on Jan. 23 in which he discussed Hamas civil defense efforts.

Also In This Edition

During its 22-day war, Israel failed to kill most of the Hamas military leadership. The exception was Hamas Interior Minister Said Siyam, regarded as the chief liasion to Iran and head of the Executive Force.

"The Hamas assessment is that Israel was looking for an opportunity to launch additional strikes, particularly from the air," the source said.

On Jan. 25, Palestinian sources reported that Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar, the brother of Yusef, was injured in an Israel Air Force strike on Gaza City. The sources said Zahar was evacuated by ambulance to neighboring Egypt for medical treatment.


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