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The Hamas’ representative in Turkey has urged Palestinians to intensify attacks on Israel.

Saleh Al Arouri, the head of the Hamas delegation in Turkey, issued a statement that called for “painful blows” on Israel. Al Arouri said the Palestinians must not rule out any option in the war against Israel. “We call on Palestinian factions in the West Bank for additional heroic operations that inflict painful blows on the Israeli occupation and its lackeys, and torpedo their conspiracies,” Al Arouri said.

The statement, released on Oct. 24, was the most specific call for violence by Al Arouri. Israeli sources said Al Arouri played a major role in Hamas financing and planning from his base in Turkey.

Al Arouri was said to have helped renew Hamas’ military infrastructure in the West Bank. His threats against Israel came in wake of the death of a leading Islamist commander in the West Bank, Mohammed Asi, on Oct. 23. Asi, deemed a senior member of the Iranian-sponsored Islamic Jihad, was believed to have coordinated with Hamas.

“The occupied West Bank is like embers under the ashes, where there are resilient resistance and living martyrs waiting for a moment of explosion in the face of the occupation,” Hamas military spokesman Abu Obeida said.