Hamas deputy leader killed, risk of conflict spreading to Lebanon

On January 3, Reuters news agency quoted Lebanese and Palestinian security sources as saying that Saleh al-Arouri, deputy leader of the Hamas armed forces, was killed in an Israeli drone attack on the outskirts of the Lebanese capital Beirut.

Deputy leader of Hamas armed forces Saleh al-Arouri. Photo: BBC

Important person

Mr Arouri is one of the most senior figures in the Hamas hierarchy. According to the BBC, the 57-year-old joined Hamas in 1987 and played a key role in establishing Hamas' presence in the West Bank and founding the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing. Arouri is also one of the Hamas leaders with close links to Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

After serving time in an Israeli prison, Arouri negotiated the release of more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011. That same year, the Israeli army demolished Arouri's home in the town of Arura, near the West Bank city of Ramallah. The Hamas deputy leader then lived in Lebanon until his assassination.

According to Reuters, Arouri is the first senior Hamas leader to be assassinated since Israel launched a general offensive on the Gaza Strip. Lebanese press said Arouri and six other people believed to be Hamas members were killed when an Israeli drone attacked Hamas offices in Dahiyeh, a suburb of Beirut.

Israel has not yet commented on this incident.

Worrying developments

An anonymous source said Hamas had informed representatives of Qatar and Egypt - two intermediary countries - about stopping negotiations on a ceasefire agreement.

The source confirmed that Hamas will not negotiate on this issue in the context of Israel's continued military escalation as well as "systematic assassinations" targeting the movement's leaders.

The location where the attack is believed to have taken place in the suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon. Photo: REUTERS

Lebanon’s Hezbollah has condemned the attack, saying it is a sign of “a dangerous development” in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati also strongly criticized the incident, saying it would inevitably push Lebanon into a new phase of confrontation, following daily attacks on the southern border that have caused many casualties.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said this was a violation of Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the assassination of a senior Hamas leader in a suspected Israeli attack in Beirut was a worrying development.

Mr Guterres' deputy spokeswoman, Florencia Soto Nino, warned of the risk of the current conflict spreading further in the region.

In the face of the above situation, in a phone call with Mr. Benny Gantz - a member of the war cabinet formed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the conflict with Hamas, French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the need to prevent the escalation of tensions, especially in Lebanon; at the same time, he reiterated the call to promote a lasting ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

In a development related to the conflict in the Gaza Strip, the US Central Command accused the Houthi forces of firing two anti-ship ballistic missiles into the southern Red Sea, where many commercial ships are located, but no damage was reported to any ships. The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to meet on January 3 (US time) to discuss the tense situation in the Red Sea.

MINH CHAU synthesis

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/pho-thu-linh-hamas-thiet-mang-nguy-co-xung-dot-lan-sang-lebanon-post721182.html