Hamas leaders go underground to escape IDF strikes - Haaretz

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Wed., February 13, 2008 Adar1 7, 5768

Israel Time: 02:30 (EST+7)

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Hamas leaders go underground to escape IDF strikes

By Haaretz Correspondent and Agencies , By Avi Issacharoff

The leadership of Hamas in the Gaza Strip has adopted a low profile and is avoiding making public appearances for fear of an Israel Defense Forces strike.

Palestinian sources in the Gaza Strip said yesterday that the Hamas leaders had turned off their cellular telephones and moved from their homes to safe houses, which suggests they are taking seriously Israel's warning that those responsible for dispatching Qassam rocket crews will be targetted.

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Among those who have gone underground are members of the political leadership of the organization, including former Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar, former Interior Minister Said Sayam, Nizar Rian and others.

The leadership of Izz al-Din al-Qassam, the military wing of the organization, has been underground for some time.

Former Palestinian Authority prime minister Ismail Haniyeh has not gone entirely underground, but is certainly keeping a lower profile. He still comes to his office once a day, but does not go to crowded places, as he used to do.

Hamas spokesmen acknowledged that their leadership has adopted new security measures, but government spokesman Taher al-Nunu, said Haniyeh is still fulfilling his obligations as prime minister, even though he takes seriously the threats on his life.

Sami Abu Zuhr, Hamas' spokesman in the Gaza Strip, released a statement yesterday saying "our response to the assassination of leaders of the organization will be unprecedented. Any means will be considered legitimate."

Another spokesman for the Islamist organization, Ismail Radwan, threatened to "set the land ablaze under the feet of the enemy if he tries to assassinate our leaders."

Radwan called on Israel to learn from the lessons of the past, and the killing of Hamas spiritual leader and founder, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, which he said did not result in the weakening of Hamas.

"We will not raise white flags because of threats directed against us," he said.

Despite the bravado, Hamas has also taken precautions and vacated all its command centers in the Gaza Strip, fearing they will be bombed.

Israel warned it would begin targetting Hamas leaders after a Qassam rocket slammed into Sderot Saturday night, injuring two brothers.

Pressure had been mounting on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak to bring an end to the repeated Qassam rocket attacks against Sderot and the nearby communities.

Both Olmert and Barak said there were no easy solutions to the attacks, and warned there were no miracle answers.

Israel has tightened economic sanctions in the Gaza Strip since Hamas seized control in June after routing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' secular Fatah faction. But Olmert is wary of launching a major ground offensive in the densely populated coastal territory for fear of heavy casualties on both sides.

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