Hamas leaders ‘marked for death’ by Israel

ISRAEL has been killing those it considers a threat to its security for decades but, in the past few years, the policy has been stepped up as part of the government’s attempts to stop suicide attacks.

Since the start of the Palestinian intifada in September 2000, dozens of Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants have been killed.

These “targeted killings,” as they are known in Israel, were described by Israeli officials three years ago as “rare and exceptional” measures. But they have increased in regularity.