The Israeli army today launched an operation in the hometown of the number two of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, located in the occupied territory of the West Bank, which ended with the arrest of members of his family and the occupation of his house.
Saleh al Aruri is the second in command of Hamas, below its leader Ismail Haniyeh, and is one of the founders of the armed wing of this Islamist group that governs the Gaza Strip.
Al Aruri – who lives in exile in Lebanon – has been a target of Israel since Hamas launched an unprecedented offensive on Israeli territory two weeks ago, which left more than 1,400 dead, most of them civilians.
After this bloody attack, Israel promised to “annihilate” Hamas and launched relentless bombings against the Gaza Strip that have left more than 4,300 dead, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Dozens of villagers were questioned by the Israeli army and more than 20 were detained, including a brother of Al Aruri and nine of his nephews, according to the mayor, Ali al Jasib, and witness accounts.
The Israeli army confirmed in a statement that, together with the Internal Security Service, the Shin Beth, it launched an operation in Arura in which it “interrogated and detained dozens of Hamas members”, including relatives of Al Aruri.
The Israeli army seized the Hamas leader’s house and displayed a banner with a photo of Saleh al Aruri with an Israeli flag in the background, according to witnesses and images spread on social networks.
The sign bears the message in Arabic: “This was the house of Saleh al Aruri and is now the headquarters of Abu al Nimer, a member of Israeli intelligence,” the AFP news agency reported.
According to the villagers, Abu al Nimer is the alias of the Israeli intelligence officer in charge of the area.
“During the operation, Aruri’s house was used by the Shin Beth and the army as headquarters for the detention and interrogation of activists,” the Israeli army detailed.
Al Aruri – who is accused by Israel of masterminding numerous attacks – became Ismail Haniyeh’s deputy in 2017.
After spending almost twenty years in Israeli prisons, he was released in 2010 on the condition that he go into exile and remains in Lebanon.
Source: Ambito
