More details on slain Hamas leaders

The Shin Bet releases more information about Hamas commanders Raed Al-Attar and Mohammed Abu Shamaleh. Both men, 40, have a long history of plotting and perpetrating attacks on Israel under Hamas, beginning in the early 90’s — the same time military chief Muhammad Deif joined its ranks.

Most notably, the two orchestrated the 2006 attack on the Kerem Shalom crossing during which two IDF soldiers were killed and IDF soldier Gilad Shalit was captured.

Al-Attar, who is the Rafah commander, is also responsible for the abduction and murder of Lt. Hadar Goldin during Operation Protective Edge. His Rafah troops carried out the attack, the Shin Bet says. The Rafah brigade was involved in other incidents during the campaign, in which IDF soldiers were wounded.

Abu Shamaleh was most recently involved in the July 17 tunnel infiltration of 13 Hamas men into southern Israel, near the town of Sufa. The attack was thwarted by the IDF.

Similarly, Al-Attar oversaw the construction of cross-border tunnels into Israeli territory, it says.

In addition, Abu Shameleh was involved in killing an Israeli soldier in 1994 in Rafah. In 2004, he was involved in an offensive which killed six troops, and injured ten others. In May 2008, he directed an attack on the Kerem Shalom crossing, which used booby-trapped jeeps and injured 13 troops.

Al-Attar, too, has an extensive track record. In 1994, he was involved in a shooting which killed an Israeli soldier on the Egyptian border. In 2002, he planned a deadly attack on an Israeli post near Kerem Shalom during which four soldiers were killed.