Israel did not officially admit to the assassination of Palestinian scientist Fadi al-Batsh in Malaysia with its Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman saying it was likely part of “settling scores” between Palestinian factions. Israeli experts and analysts, however, agreed that such a “clean” operation done with precision was most probably executed by the likes of the Mossad Israeli intelligence. Meanwhile, Transportation and Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz warned the Hamas leadership against threatening Israeli officers abroad, warning that Tel Aviv will retaliate by targeting the movement’s senior officials. "I suggest that (Hamas politburo chief Ismail) Haniyeh talk less and be more careful," Katz cautioned on Sunday, adding: “Gaza is much closer than Malaysia.” He said an attack against Israelis abroad would be crossing a red line, threatening that it would lead to the resumption of Israels targeted killing policy. "Hamas officials in Gaza, with (Haniyeh) among them, are expected to be hurt badly." "Haniyeh and his friends should be careful before they speak ... because Israels ability to hurt them will be absolute, hard and swift," Katz went on to say. On Saturday, Batsh, 35, was assassinated by gunmen while he was on his way to morning prayers at a mosque near his house in Gombak north of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. When asked about accusations that Israel killed the scientist, Katz indicated that it does not comment on such incidents. "But based on what has been reported so far about the profession of the man who was assassinated, and based on the cries of despair from the heads of Hamas in Gaza, it turns out he was not such a great saint, and the citizens of Israel have no reason to shed a tear over him," he stressed. He described Hamas as part of the "Iranian axis of evil" in the area, and many elements in the region have an interest in hurting its capabilities. Lieberman, meanwhile, said the government will not allow Batsh’s body to reach Gaza through Israel. “However, we will not have any control over the matter if they try to transfer it through Egypt and the Rafah border crossing,” he went on to say. Israeli reports said that Batsh had joined Hamas military wing before traveling to Kuala Lumpur in 2011 to earn an education. He was apparently sent to Malaysia by Hamas to deepen his work in the fields of electrical and electronic engineering. Later, Hamas employed him in various tasks involving sophisticated equipment, such as rockets and drones, with an emphasis on electro-optics. Last year, Batash began working in research and development. His work at local university laboratories was part of Hamas bigger plan to distribute its research and development centers on a larger scale and moving them out of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Hamas wants to move its centers outside those areas to keep them away from Israel, its intelligence, and air force. The movement also wants to deploy its members where they can have easy access to scientific methods and develop their education. If Israeli intelligence were really behind the assassination, Mossad chief Yossi Cohen and his men must have presented Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a convincing plan, said former Mossad chief, Meir Dagan, according to a report.