Hebron - Many residents received a text message from Hamas, in which the group threatened to avenge the deaths of the two operatives who murdered four residents of Beit Hagai in August.
The two men, who belonged to Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing, were killed by IDF forces Friday night.
"Lions of Hebron, we announce that revenge will come. The ground will burn under the feet of the Zionists and their collaborators," the text message said.
Hamas officials confirmed the group had sent the message in an attempt to raise morale among Palestinian residents of the West Bank following the targeted killings.
The texts were intended to stress to Hebron residents Hamas's commitment to fight "until the banishment of the occupation from all Palestinian lands", they said.
The two operatives, Nasat al-Karmi and Mamun Natashe, are believed to have been part of the cell responsible for a deadly shooting attack, which took place on August 31 and left four Israelis dead.
They were killed during a joint IDF and Shin Bet operation, which caused exchanges of fire to erupt in the neighborhood in which the two were hiding. There were no injuries among Israeli security forces, and six additional men were arrested and taken in for questioning.
Immediately afterwards, the group threatened retaliation over "Israel's cowardly act". Hamas military wing spokesman Abu Obaida said that "the resistance's men in the West Bank – despite the difficult conditions under which they have to operate and despite their persecution but Fatah security forces – will not ask for the Fatah or the occupation's permission to carry out more attacks".
