Alerts

The Gaza Assassination Attempt against Palestinian Authority Leaders

Is this the end of the Hamas-Palestinian Authority reconciliation process?
Share this
Crater left at the site of an explosion that targeted the convoy of the Palestinian Prime Minister
Members of the Hamas security forces inspect the crater left at the site of an explosion that targeted the convoy of the Palestinian Prime Minister. (AFP Photo / Mahmud Hams)

Table of Contents

  • The growing assumption in the Gaza Strip is that the attempt to harm the Palestinian prime minister’s convoy was meant to torpedo the reconciliation process, rather than as a personal attack on Prime Minister Hamdallah or Gen. Majid Faraj.
  • The reconciliation process between Fatah and Hamas has sustained a fatal blow. However, Egypt, which initiated the process, will not allow it to stop. From a political point of view, it is still necessary for both Hamas and Fatah.
Crater left at the site of an explosion that targeted the convoy of the Palestinian Prime Minister
Members of the Hamas security forces inspect the crater left at the site of an explosion that targeted the convoy of the Palestinian Prime Minister.
(AFP Photo / Mahmud Hams)

On October 27, 2017, unknown individuals attempted to assassinate Gen. Tawfiq Abu Naim, commander of the Hamas internal security forces, when they concealed an explosive device in his car while he was at prayer at the mosque in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. Abu Naim was lightly injured. However, Hamas security forces have still not been able to apprehend the perpetrators five months later.

The Hamas movement officially blamed Israel for the incident. However, other sources within Hamas reckon that the assassination attempt occurred as the result of an internal conflict within Hamas’ military wing. Tawfiq Abu Naim is considered to be a loyal adherent of Yahya Sinwar, Hamas leader in Gaza, who is in charge of Hamas’ military wing.

Internal conflicts within the military wing are nothing new. According to sources in Gaza, one of the most striking opponents of Yahya Sinwar is Fathi Hamad, a member of the Hamas political bureau, who operates an armed brigade of his own faithful followers within the Hamas military wing.

Hamad is a sworn opponent of the reconciliation process between Hamas and Fatah that Yahya Sinwar was leading along with Egyptian intelligence until recently.

Where is Yahya Sinwar?

According to Egyptian sources, seven months ago, in August 2017, Yahya Sinwar put Fathi Hamad under house arrest and prevented him from giving media interviews, fearing his statements would harm this reconciliation process.

Fathi Hamad
Is Fathi Hamad a Hamas renegade? (Arab press)

It is not yet clear whether Fathi Hamad is behind the attempt to assassinate Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and intelligence chief Majid Faraj. However, Yahya Sinwar’s resounding silence is of concern to many Gaza residents.

Last month, Sinwar disappeared completely and disengaged himself from involvement in the reconciliation process, including the visit by the Hamas leadership to Egypt and its encounter with new Egyptian intelligence leader Gen. Abbas Kamal.  In the region, this suggests that serious turmoil may be going on inside the Hamas military wing.

Another possible interpretation is that a group of former military figures decided to harm the reconciliation process and the Palestinian Authority’s efforts to get back into Gaza after Mahmoud Abbas ordered the early retirement of hundreds of army personnel as part of sanctions against the Gaza Strip. It is possible that this group is connected to the assassination attempt.

Either way, there is a Palestinian consensus that even if the Palestinian Authority places the blame upon Hamas, it is obvious that it is the main casualty of the assassination attempt on Rami Hamdallah and Majid Faraj. This is because its effort to project an image as the ruler of Gaza has been damaged as a result of the incident.

Even the Egyptian attempts over the past two months to pull the reconciliation process out of the deep mire into which it has fallen have received a mortal blow from the assassination attempt.

A delegation from Egyptian intelligence visiting Gaza the week of the blast denounced the assassination attempt and declared that it would continue with the reconciliation attempt. However, it is clear that its mission has become even more difficult as a result of the incident.

In the meantime, the chairman of the Palestinian Authority has frozen all visits of PA officials to the Gaza Strip.  Abbas may also react by imposing further sanctions on Gaza because in any case, he considers the reconciliation process to be an Egyptian-Hamas trap designed to strengthen the position of his bitter rival Mohammed Dahlan in Gaza.

Senior PA officials have hastened to use the assassination attempt as an excuse to demand the immediate imposition of PA authority upon the Hamas internal security authority in Gaza and the transfer of their weapons to the Palestinian Authority.

Will the Palestinian National Council Meet?

The Palestinian National Council (PNC) is supposed to meet on April 30, 2018, in Ramallah without the participation of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The PA chairman is currently demanding the transfer of complete control in Gaza to the Palestinian Authority as a condition for his agreement to change the PNC structure and include representatives of Hamas.

There is no doubt that in the meantime, the assassination attempt has torpedoed the implementation of the first stage of the reconciliation agreement, which was the transfer of all governing powers in Gaza from Hamas to the Palestinian Authority. From the outset, Hamas has avoided the implementation of this stage and has made it conditional upon finding a solution to the payment of salaries to around 40,000 employees identified with the movement who have been part of the government sector since 2007.

In recent months, Egypt has been leading the reconciliation process alongside Hamas, which had and still has an interest to continue with this process since it made harsh concessions for it to begin. For this reason, Egypt and Hamas are also casualties of the assassination attempt on PA Prime Minister Hamdallah’s convoy.

Hamas will need to act quickly to show that it is in control of the security situation and to remove the issue from the agenda so that Mahmoud Abbas will have no excuse to bow out of the reconciliation process.

Until then, reconciliation efforts will slow down. However, Fatah and Hamas cannot allow themselves to let the process grind to a total halt because the residents of the territories will not accept it. This is especially the case with regard to a popular request to achieve national unity before President Trump announces his “deal of the century.”

In addition, Egypt, instigator of the reconciliation process, is interested in covering up its failure. It is therefore likely that the process will be frozen for several weeks. However, Egyptian intelligence will wait for what it considers to be a suitable opportunity to renew contacts between Fatah and Hamas.

Yoni Ben Menachem

Yoni Ben Menachem, a veteran Arab affairs and diplomatic commentator for Israel Radio and Television, is a senior Middle East analyst for the Jerusalem Center. He served as Director General and Chief Editor of the Israel Broadcasting Authority.
Share this

Subscribe to Daily Alert

The Daily Alert – Israel news digest appears every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

Related Items

Stay Informed, Always

Get the latest news, insights, and updates directly in your inbox—be the first to know!

Subscribe to Jerusalem Issue Briefs
The Daily Alert – Israel news digest appears every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday.







Notifications

The Jerusalem Center
What makes a child believe killing a #Jew is justified?

In PA textbooks, Jews are called liars and frauds; their fate: elimination. This is #indoctrination—not #education. But change is happening. On East to West, @IMPACT_SE CEO Marcus Sheff exposes how #UNRWA-funded schools are fueling extremism—and what real reform looks like.  Listen now on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2JHqh973U  Watch on YouTube: youtu.be/8OkJTGNfVUc

11:43am
The Jerusalem Center
Highlights from the @Jerusalem_Post Annual Conference in NYC:

Dr. @Dan_Diker, President of the JCFA: “October 7 wasn’t just an attack on Israel — it was a blow to the U.S. on Israeli soil. It demands moral clarity and a united front between Israel and the U.S. to defeat jihadist terror.”

2:20pm
The Jerusalem Center
@XAVIAERD says it like it is

Well, @XAVIAERD says it like it is: If you’re part of “#Queers for #Palestine,” he’ll pay for your flight to #Gaza. Go see for yourself how they treat LGBTQ+ people over there. Don’t miss this bold take on the Israel-Hamas war and the woke right.

2:32pm
The Jerusalem Center
“This isn’t Israel vs. Hamas — it’s the frontline of the free world.”

“This isn’t Israel vs. Hamas — it’s the frontline of the free world.” On Our Middle East by @JNS_org, @Dan_Diker@KhaledAbuToameh (JCFA/@GatestoneInst) break it down: If Hamas isn’t crushed, Iran wins. The jihadis—from #Gaza to your campus—get the green light. Diker: “This war is for the West.” No fluff. No filters. Just raw insight from two insiders who actually know what’s going on.  Watch: youtu.be/4Aq_zcbb4Yo

2:15pm
The Jerusalem Center
5/5 Lt. Col. Kalo on East to West with @smartinezamir:

“This operation showcases Israel’s strategic intelligence superiority both regionally and globally. It demonstrates the moral commitment to recovered soldiers and also strengthens Israel’s position with allies.” youtube.com/watch?v=nIvNNi

2:07pm
The Jerusalem Center
4/5 The operation built on intelligence gathered during the 2019 #Baumel recovery

#Mossad agents operated under cover in #Syria for years, visiting a graveyard multiple times under fire to collect remains for DNA matching. The intelligence community’s evolution combines technology, big data analysis, and human intelligence capabilities.

2:02pm
The Jerusalem Center
3/5 This recovery coincided with the release of Israeli hostage Edan Alexander

This recovery coincided with the release of Israeli hostage Edan Alexander from #Hamas in #Gaza, significantly boosting national morale amid an ongoing conflict now stretching over 18 months. The dual successes demonstrate #Israel‘s unwavering commitment to bringing all soldiers home.

1:58pm
The Jerusalem Center
2/5 The operation used the power vacuum following #Assad’s fall from #Damascus

Lt. Col. Avi Kalo, former head of IDF Prisoners & Missing Persons Division, calls it “an outstanding event that brings hope and new spirit to the people of Israel.” The operation utilized the power vacuum following #Assad‘s fall from #Damascus, allowing #Israeli intelligence to deploy ground capabilities in #Syria.

1:56pm
The Jerusalem Center
1/5 Israeli forces recovered the remains of Sergeant First Class Zvi Feldman

In an unprecedented operation, Israeli forces have recovered the remains of Sergeant First Class Zvi #Feldman, missing since the 1982 Battle of Sultan Yacoub. The complex #Mossad mission was conducted deep within #Syrian territory, 43 years after his disappearance. This follows the successful 2019 recovery of Zachary #Baumel from the same battle.

1:54pm
The Jerusalem Center
A molotov attack on a bus = a “barbecue party”?

That’s what #Palestinian kids are being taught under @UNRWA  — from grade school to graduation. This isn’t education. It’s indoctrination. Marcus Sheff of @IMPACT_SE  breaks it down with @smartinezamir

12:51pm

Close