Damascus, Syria
A car bomb killed a Hamas leader in Syria last week, and Syrian officials say Israel was behind it. Izz El-Dine Khalil was the director of Hamas’ militant activities outside the Palestinian territories. Witnesses said he got into his car and answered a cell phone call just before the explosion. Israeli intelligence operatives have a history of detonating bombs remotely by phone, and Israel has often accused Syria of harboring Palestinian terrorists. While Israeli officials refused to either confirm or deny complicity in the assassination, they hinted at a role. “Just because Hamas leaders are operating from Damascus, this does not grant them immunity,” said Raanan Gissin, a spokesman for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. “There are no geographical boundaries when it comes to fighting terror.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Local elections 2026: where are they and who is expected to win?The Explainer Labour is braced for heavy losses and U-turn on postponing some council elections hasn’t helped the party’s prospects
-
6 of the world’s most accessible destinationsThe Week Recommends Experience all of Berlin, Singapore and Sydney
-
How the FCC’s ‘equal time’ rule worksIn the Spotlight The law is at the heart of the Colbert-CBS conflict
