The New York Times reported this morning, Thursday, that the killing of the Hamas engineer in Malaysia was part the Mossad’s broader efforts to prevent the development of advanced weaponry for terror groups in the Gaza Strip.
The engineer, Fadi al-Batsh, worked in the development of advanced ballistic capabilities for Hamas.
Citing Middle Eastern intelligence officials, the report claimed that Batsh was eliminated as the Mossad works to thwart a Hamas project sending its promising scientists overseas to gain know-how and weaponry for fighting Israel.
Western and Middle Eastern intelligence officials quoted by the report said that Batsh may have been involved in negotiating arms deals with North Korea through Malaysia.
Israel has not confirmed a connection to the killing. Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman on Sunday suggested that the engineer was killed as part of a “settling of accounts” between competing terror factions.