Israel's Opposition Leader Calls Six Key Figures Of Hamas Must Be Killed At Home Or Abroad

Yair Lapid. (Wikimedia Commons/Spokesperson unit of the President of Israel/Haim Zach)

JAKARTA - Opposition leader Israel said six key figures of the Palestinian militant group Hamas had to be killed while calling for the release of hostages detained in Gaza.

Yair Lapid told the government he would support any efforts made to repatriate Israeli hostages from the Gaza Strip.

"We will give full support to any decisions and steps, as well as any consequences that will bring back the hostages," Lapid said at the start of the meeting of the Knesset faction led by Yesh Atid, reported by The Times of Israel, October 30.

"At the same time, we need to take painful steps to ensure they return home," he added, saying social contracts between citizens and countries were "defined" until all prisoners, both Israeli and non-Israeli, were repatriated.

On the occasion, Lapid also called on Israel to kill the supreme leaders of Hamas, particularly the six most senior political and military figures of the militant group.

In fact, Lapid emphasized, Israel must be able to get them all, both in Gaza and abroad.

It is known that a number of high-ranking Hamas officials are abroad, with the group's highest political leaders generally in Qatar.

"Israeli countries must not stop and must not escape until we kill six people: Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Def, Ismail Haniyeh, Saleh al-Arouri, Khaled Mashaal and Marwan Issa," said Lapid while mentioning the names of the Hamas officials he meant.

"The six must die. Until they die, Israel will not retaliate for the killings of Be'eri and Sderot, Kfar Aza and Ofakim. Until they die, the Middle East will not understand that we are not playing games," he stressed.

Earlier, the Israeli military on Monday announced the success of its troops in killing four prominent Hamas figures, as part of an expanded land operation in the Gaza Strip.

Those killed were Hamas naval commander Jamil Baba, anti-tank missile unit commander Muhammad Safadi, anti-tank missile unit official Muwaman Hijazi and senior agent Muhammad Awdallah, as quoted by CNN.

He added that the Israeli military also succeeded in destroying Hamas' anti-tank missile launchers and launch pads.