Yassin is the head of HAMAS in Gaza. He maintains a direct line of communication with other HAMAS leaders on coordination of HAMAS's military activities and openly admits that there is no distinguishing the political and military wings of Hamas. Yassin also conveys messages about operational planning to other Palestinian terrorist organizations.

Rantisi is part of the HAMAS leadership in Gaza, operating directly under HAMAS Leader Shaykh Yassin (see above) with whom he maintains a direct line of communication for the coordination of military operations. Mishaal (see above) has also issued orders for HAMAS terrorist activities through Rantisi.

In October of 2002, Rantisi was reported in Al-Hayat as personally claiming responsibility for the assassination of a Palestinian Authority Police Colonel. In December 2002, he was calling for Iraq to prepare thousands of martyrdom cells to fight the United States and its allies in the event of war.