Palestinian officials told Haaretz that Hamas leadership has raised its alert level in recent hours amid fears of assassinations targeting senior officials in the organization's political bureau. According to the sources, Hamas is also concerned about possible military operations aimed at freeing hostages held in the Gaza Strip.
Along with the high alert, the officials said they have received conflicting messages in recent hours from the countries mediating indirect negotiations with Israel regarding the possibility of renewing talks.
On Tuesday, a senior Hamas delegation left for Istanbul, where it is expected to meet with Turkish officials to explore options for restarting negotiations. The delegation is headed by Muhammad Ismail Darwish, chairman of Hamas's Shura Council, and includes the organization's entire negotiation team, among them senior political bureau member Khalil al-Hayya.
Hamas has called for global protests on August 1–3 against the war and siege of Gaza, urging demonstrations at Israeli, U.S., and allied embassies. It also declared August 3 a "global day of support" for Gaza, Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestinian prisoners, honoring former leader Ismail Haniyeh.
