Ex-Shin Bet head: Hamas will not end even if all its leaders are killed

Protesters holding Hamas flags gather during a protest condemning the assassination of Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri by Israeli drone attack, on January 03, 2024, in Hebron, West Bank. [Mamoun Wazwaz – Anadolu Agency]

The former head of Israel’s internal security agency Shabak, Ami Ayalon, warned of a new uprising in the West Bank.

He affirmed that Israel awaits something worse than 7 October if it rejects peace.

In an interview with Le Monde, Ayalon added that victory is not achievable in the war in Gaza, pointing to the absence of plans for the day after the war.

Hamas, he added, will not be destroyed even if every one of its leaders are killed. Palestinians support the movement not because they are committed to its ideology, but because they see it as the only organisation fighting for their freedom and the end of the occupation, he explained.

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