A few hours after the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) demolished his residence in Samaria, near Ramallah, and as Israeli forces increase their presence in the Gaza Strip, it is an opportune moment to shed light on the founder of Hamas' militant wing, Saleh Al-Arouri.
Saleh Al-Arouri, aged 57, was born in the Ramallah municipality and has endured a total of 17 years in Israeli prisons. He pursued his education in Islamic studies at Hebron University, which paved the way for his eventual involvement with Hamas. He faced imprisonment on charges related to his affiliation with a terrorist organization, primarily for his role in establishing armed Hamas cells in Judea and Samaria. These cells would later evolve into the Az Ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of Hamas.
צה״ל הורס הלילה את ביתו של סלאח ערורי מנהיג חמאס ביו״ש. אין צו הריסה, אין אפשרות להסתייגות, אין בג״צ ואין יותר בית. pic.twitter.com/uysZwcurbY
— 🇮🇱 נועם אמיר (@noamamir74) October 31, 2023
During his time in Israeli prison, Arouri emerged as a significant figure, standing alongside Yahya Sinwar. Sinwar held sway among Gaza's prisoners, while Arouri commanded respect among those in the West Bank, although often overshadowed by Sinwar.
Upon his release, Jordan declined to accept him, a consequence of the failed 1997 attempt to assassinate Khaled Mashal. Consequently, Arouri found refuge first in Syria and later in Turkey. In Turkey, he found support from the Muslim Brotherhood, an umbrella organization that includes both Hamas and the Turkish Justice and Development Party led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Within the Israeli security establishment, Arouri is identified as the "General of the Central Command" of Hamas. He is the driving force behind the operational, logistical, and economic aspects of the Az Ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades in Judea and Samaria, exerting significant influence in Gaza as well. In pursuit of these activities, he maintains regular contact with Hezbollah and elements within Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
This collaboration is reflected in substantial funding channels directed towards the territories through various means, including cryptocurrencies, money changers, and physical smuggling. It also encompasses the smuggling of weapons into the territories, exemplified by incidents such as the one involving a Jordanian parliament member, which included both weapon components. Arouri can genuinely be regarded as the mastermind behind Hamas, complementing more combative figures like Sinwar with his vital logistical support, contributing significantly to the growth of the organization.
In the coming few years, Hamas chiefs Ismail Haniyah, Khalid Meshaal, Saleh Arouri, Muhammad Deif and Yehia Senwar will all be dead. Hamas cannot start to comprehend the gravity of killing 1400 Israelis. During Second Intifada (2000-2005), Hamas killed 1010 Israelis. Israel…
— Hussain Abdul-Hussain (@hahussain) October 27, 2023
Moreover, it is worth noting that the United States has designated Saleh Al-Arouri as a wanted individual, offering a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture. This designation is due to his involvement in planning the abduction of three teenagers in July 2014, an act that triggered a substantial IDF operation in Gaza. One of the tragic victims of this incident, the late Naftali Frankel, held dual Israeli and American citizenship, further solidifying Arouri's place on the United States' blacklist.
