The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas has reiterated that the blood of Hamas politburo Deputy Chief martyr Saleh al-Arouri, and his fellow commanders, alongside tens of thousands of Palestinian martyrs from Gaza, the West Bank, the diaspora, and the martyrs of the broader Arab nation in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, will continue to serve as a guiding beacon for the Resistance until the full liberation of Palestine.

On the first anniversary of al-Arouri’s assassination, Hamas issued a statement on Thursday, marking the occasion. The movement honored the memory of al-Arouri along with his fellow leaders: Qassam commander Samir Fandi (Abu Amer), Qassam commander Azam al-Aqra (Abu Ammar), and several other members of the movement, who were martyred in the battle for freedom and dignity.

In its statement, Hamas emphasized that the Israeli occupation's assassination of al-Arouri and his fellow leaders and cadres "has failed, and will continue to fail, in breaking the resolve of our people and their steadfast Resistance."

It also recalled that al-Arouri and his comrades sacrificed their lives for Palestine, with a focus on liberating al-Quds and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. They left behind a legacy of strong Resistance fighters who are determined to continue their mission, defending Palestinian land, rights, and sacred sites until full liberation is achieved.

Hamas further stated that "a movement willing to sacrifice its leaders and founders for the dignity of its people will never be defeated."

The statement highlighted that, on this path, the movement has seen the martyrdom of its top leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, the founding Imam Ahmed Yassin, Dr. Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, and a long list of other martyrs who have shaped the movement’s ongoing struggle.

It also called for continued unity and action in honoring the memory of these fallen heroes, urging further escalation of Resistance against the Israeli occupation, whose crimes have exceeded all bounds of human decency.

Who is Saleh al-Arouri; Hamas Resistance leader killed by 'Israel'? 

On the evening of January 2, 2024, the Israeli regime assassinated the Deputy Chief of Hamas' Political Bureau Sheikh Saleh al-Arouri, in Beirut Southern Suburb, Lebanon.

The chilling news of the great leader's martyrdom came after a series of Israeli threats, which reached their peak in August 2023. Israeli officials resented al-Arouri's direct years-long role in building up the capabilities of the Palestinian Resistance in the West Bank, which highlighted the fragility of Israeli security.

The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, mourned one of its most devout leaders, who endured 15+ years of imprisonment and was eventually forced out of Palestine and headed to Syria in 2010. Al-Arouri stayed in the neighboring Arab country, before moving to Turkey, Qatar, and Malaysia, eventually settling in the Southern Suburb of Beirut in Lebanon, where he resumed his revolutionary work.

At the time, a statement released by Hamas following the news of al-Arouri's assassination highlighted his leading political and military role both in the West Bank and Gaza. In fact, al-Arouri, born on August 19, 1966, played an integral role in setting up Hamas' military wing, al-Qassam Brigades, in the West Bank.

The leader's original birth name is Saleh Mohammad Suleiman Khaseeb. Nonetheless, akin to fellow families in the region, his unique distinction as "al-Arouri" is derived from his roots in the small town of Arura within the Ramallah district. This connection is precisely why he is recognized today as al-Arouri, which is interpreted as an individual descending from the town of Arura, in Arabic.

The martyr's roots in his town shaped his political career, in which he diligently and relentlessly worked to snatch the rights of his people from the hands of the occupiers. Al-Arouri deliberately embraced the legacy of past martyrs, aligning himself with the image of revolutionaries unyielding in the face of the criminal Israeli entity.

The leader did not only contribute to the organization of Resistance cells in the West Bank and other fronts, but he also led negotiations for prisoner exchange deals that the Resistance imposed on the occupation.

After graduating from al-Khalil University in the West Bank, with a bachelor's degree in 1987 and studying Islamic Law (Shariah), al-Arouri made his way up the movement's ranks, eventually voted in as a member of its politburo in 2010.

The Resistance leader faced intermittent periods in captivity, as he was first administratively detained in the early 1990s by Israeli occupation forces, due to his activity within the Hamas movement. He was later freed, but then redetained and sentenced to 15 years in prison for establishing Resistance cells in the West Bank.

After completing his sentence, he was yet again detained and released in 2010, to be finally forced out of the country in the same year.

He then headed Hamas’ negotiating team in charge of completing the prisoner exchange deal in 2011 with the Israeli occupation, mediated by Egypt. Hamas dubbed the operation "Faithful to the Free" (Wafaa Al-Ahrar). Under the deal, Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was held captive by Hamas, was released in exchange for the release of 1,027 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons, including the current leader of Hamas, Yahya al-Sinwar, among other prominent Palestinian figures.

On October 9, 2017, al-Arouri was elected as Deputy Head of Hamas' Political Bureau. One year later, the United States enlisted him under its infamous "terrorist list", and in 2021, he became the head of the Hamas movement in the West Bank.

The leader's unblemished career made him a force to reckon with by Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who vowed to assassinate al-Arouri, to which he responded at the time, saying, "The Israeli threat against me will not change my convictions, and it will not have an impact on the path [that I have chosen]" in an exclusive interview for Al Mayadeen.

His assassination triggered a wave of condemnations and promises for retaliation, specifically from Palestinian Resistance factions, shedding light on the closely-knit relationship that al-Arouri had built with Palestinian cadres and his irrefutable popularity among Palestinians.

Read more: Exclusive - Al Arouri: Resistance Axis preparing for all-out war