TEL AVIV – Hamas has questioned American and European expats in Gaza in relation to last week’s assassination of one of its top militants, a senior Hamas source told Breitbart Jerusalem.
On Saturday, Mazen Faqha, one of the so-called military wing’s top commanders, was killed by assassins outside his house. In 2011, he was released from an Israeli jail together with more than 1,000 Palestinians in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who spent more than five years in Hamas captivity.
Hamas blamed Israel for the assassination.
Since the killing, hundreds of people have been questioned by Hamas police, including Faqha’s neighbors, fellow Hamas militants, and foreigners. Fishermen in particular were a target for questioning, as Hamas claims the assassins were Israeli naval commandos who came from the sea. Israel has not commented on Faqha’s elimination.
Hamas barred the expats, many of who work for the United Nations Work and Relief Agency (UNWRA), from leaving the Gaza Strip for the time being, the source said.
Hamas police raided hotels in Gaza City where foreigners reside, first targeting those who entered a few days prior to the assassination.
Hamas strongly believes Faqha’s assassination was a similar operation to the killing of Mohammed Alzawi, Hamas’ drone fleet commander, who was killed in Tunisia, his country of residence, a few months ago.
In both cases, Hamas claimed Israel was behind the assassinations.