During Israel’s assault on Al Shifa Hospital, it executed a pharmacologist, Mohammed Al Nono. He had no connection to Hamas, nor does Israel claim he did. Rather, his assassination was part of the Amalek Directive. Last October, the war cabinet approved the murder of not just Hamas’ senior leadership, but of their family members as well. Journalists too are included under Amalek (95 have been deliberately murdered during the war). Al Nono’s brother, Taher Al Nono, is the media advisor to Ismail Haniyeh.
Under Amalek, scores of children, wives, fathers and mothers with no Hamas association, have been deliberately murdered. Grandchildren of Ismail Haniyeh have been murdered. The entire family of Al Jazeera correspondent Wael al Dadouh was similarly murdered. According to an Israeli security source, this is also the reason Al Nono was “eliminated.”
The source added that Israel has vowed vengeance not only on every Hamas fighter who participated in the 10/7 attack, but on their family members as well. He also claims that the four unarmed Palestinians (see video above) murdered by an Israeli drone in a chilling video aired by Al Jazeera, were relatives of such fighters. All of them are targets for elimination in this ghastly Israeli policy of vengeance. These are pure, wanton acts of vengeance with no military purpose.
The careers of Israel’s Shin Bet chief, Ronen Bar, and its agency chief for Gaza (nom de guerre, “Oscar”) were profoundly damaged by the 10/7 attack. Like mafia dons, they made these murders a personal crusade and vendetta.
Other rationales for such bloodlust may be to punish Hamas’ leaders and cause them anguish; eliminate potential future leadership of Hamas; cow Gazans by showing them what happens to those they’ve chosen to rule them; or as a policy of naked vengeance. This strategy is a failure. It does not deter Hamas, whose leaders and family are prepared for martyrdom, and do not fear it. It makes no impression on Gazans who are more concerned with saving their own lives.
Hamas spokesperson, Taher al-NonoThe Israelis themselves probably do not believe mass assassinations work. They do it as a pure act of vengeance. In other words, it isn’t designed to impact Gazans, but rather it’s meant for domestic political consumption. Israel’s far-right ministers want Palestinian blood. The more the better. Netanyahu can now boast to them that he is taking revenge for 10/7.
The Amalek Directive is an egregious violation of the laws of war. It adds to the already considerable mountain of evidence of genocide. If the International Criminal Court ever brings charges against Israel, any physical evidence of the directive will help seal the fate of the war cabinet ministers who approved it: Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, and Gadi Eisenkot.
I doubt those who plot these assassinations care much about international law; which may be why my source leaked this report to me.
Tikun Olam broke the story of the Amalek Directive in late October. The military censor prohibits reporting about it. No foreign media outlet or reporter has done so either.