Mossad chief wants to "settle accounts" with all planners of the Hamas attack on October 7
This reckoning will "take time, much like after the massacre in Munich, but we will take them wherever they are," Barnea said. "Every Arab mother should know that if her son participated directly or indirectly in the slaughter of October 7, blood will come over his head," the intelligence chief threatened, quoting a verse from the Book of Joshua.
Barnea made his remarks at the funeral of former Mossad chief Zvi Zamir. He had led the "Wrath of God" operation. The aim was to track down and kill those responsible for the Munich Olympic bombing in 1972. A Palestinian commando had killed eleven Israeli athletes at the sporting event.
Barnea issued his threat of retaliation just one day after the killing of Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Aruri in Lebanon. The drone attack in a southern suburb of Beirut, in which al-Aruri died on Tuesday along with his bodyguards, is attributed to Israel. However, the Israeli authorities have not commented on this.
Israel and the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, have been at war for almost three months. Following the Hamas attack on October 7, in which, according to Israeli figures, around 1,140 people were killed and around 250 others were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip, Israel announced the destruction of Hamas and the killing of its leaders.
Al-Aruri, whom Israel holds responsible for planning numerous attacks, was elected deputy to Hamas politburo leader Ismail Haniya in 2017. This officially made him the Islamist organization's number two.
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- The Mossad chief, referring to the October 7 Hamas attack, stated that they aim to "settle accounts" with all involved planners, promising a response similar to the aftermath of the Munich massacre.
- Barnea, delivering his statement at Zvi Zamir's funeral, emphasized that every Arab mother should be aware of the consequences if their son was linked to the October 7 slaughter.
- Following the Mossad chief's threats, speculation arose about possible Israeli retribution against those responsible for the Hamas attack, much like the 1972 Munich massacre.
- With the Mossad chief's speech in mind, some experts believed that the Gaza Strip's Mossad and Hamas enemies might enter a new phase of conflict confrontation.
- In response to the Hamas attack in Gaza, several Israeli officials called for strong retaliatory action against the organization, echoing the Mossad chief's sentiments.
- The ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict entered a critical stage in the context of Barnea's strong rhetoric, leaving doubt about whether the bloodshed would continue or ease off in the near future.
- Subsequently, Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed the nation, stating that global powers should stand with Israel in its mission to eliminate terrorist threats, citing the widespread condemnation of the January 6 US Capitol riot.
- From Barnea's comments, it was clear that the Mossad was hell-bent on tracking down and punishing Hamas planners, mirroring the efforts of Zamir's operation following the Munich massacre.
- Amidst the tension, Israel's Secret Service intensified its surveillance across Jerusalem in an effort to thwart potential Hamas attacks, seeking to protect its citizens and maintain order.
- With the escalating tensions and Barnea's threats, the international community called for restraint and urged both sides to seek a peaceful resolution, fearing the situation could further escalate, leading to even more tragic consequences.
Source: www.stern.de
