The special unit, established by Shin Bet, the country’s security agency, was designed with the specific purpose of targeting individuals affiliated with Nukhba, a commando unit operating within Hamas’s military wing.
The force, named after the World War I-era Jewish underground organization “Nili,” is an acronym for a Hebrew phrase meaning “the Eternal One of Israel will not lie.” According to The Jerusalem Post, Nili members will operate autonomously from other Command and Control units that are dedicated to countering strike cells and high-ranking terrorists.
This specific operation is considered unique due to its inclusion of both field operatives and intelligence personnel. Israel has issued a warning, stating that all members affiliated with Hamas are at high risk, particularly targeting the alleged masterminds behind the October 7 attacks. These individuals include Hamas military commander Muhammad Deif and political leader Yahya Sinwar.
According to a report by Daily Telegraph Australia, security sources believe that the pair mentioned in the prompt are currently operating within a network of tunnels designed to withstand Israeli bombardment. It is reported that they have been active in the shadows for several years.
Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht has given the nickname “The Face of Evil” to one of the individuals, Sinwar. Sinwar, who is now 61 years old, was a founding member of Hamas in 1987 and has since climbed the ranks within the organization. In 2017, he was elected as the leader of Hamas in Gaza, following Ismail Haniyeh’s appointment as the group’s supreme leader.
Sinwar was born in the Khan Yunis refugee camp in Gaza and gained notoriety when he was added to the United States’ list of most wanted “international terrorists” in 2015.
