He said the sheik's death had opened a "big hole" in the Hamas leadership, one the group might be unable to fill.

If it did not, they said, Israel would continue hunting the Hamas leadership, even at the risk of stepped-up suicide bombings.

The Hamas leadership also holds Israel responsible, and has vowed revenge.

However, his reported decision to step down may indicate that the Hamas leadership within Gaza has won a power struggle.

Hamas leadership had low expectations as well.

Instead, the Hamas leadership has not changed its policy one iota.

By now Israel should have killed off the entire Hamas leadership twice.

He held clandestine meetings with the Hamas leadership in June 2002.

But Israel and the Hamas leadership were looking for ways to defuse the tense situation.

But why had Israel not acted sooner against the Hamas political leadership?