Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday appeared to confirm Israel's involvement in the January assassination of Hamas political bureau deputy chief Saleh-al Arouri while also hinting at the killing of Marwan Issa, a senior Hamas military leader believed to have been killed in a recent Israeli airstrike in the central Gaza Strip's Nuseirat refugee camp.
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"We are on the path to total victory," he said, echoing a phrase he has used repeatedly in the past months of war against Hamas. "On this path, we have already eliminated number four in Hamas. Three, two and one are next. They all have a target on their back; we will get to all of them."
An Israeli official who spoke to Ynet suggested that while Issa may have likely been killed, Jerusalem prefers to exercise caution for the time being. "We've already taken up some into heaven just to later find out we were wrong," the official said.
The number one Hamas operative Netanyahu referred to in his remarks is likely the terrorist group's leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, followed by the supreme commander of its military wing—Mohammed Deif, and Deif's deputy, Issa himself.
The fourth the Israel leader mentioned, Salah al-Arouri, was killed in an airstrike in Beirut's Dahieh Quarter, a Hezbollah stronghold. This is the first time Netanyahu claimed responsibility on behalf of Israel for al-Arouri's death, even if implied.
The Palestinians reported overnight Sunday heavy bombardments of the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, where Issa is believed to be hiding. These attacks were accompanied by Internet and electricity disruptions.
Israeli security officials have yet to comment on reports of Issa's supposed death, but sources are optimistic he was eliminated. The focus now shifts to Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) to evaluate the impact.