The Lead
The Shin Bet security agency revealed on Sunday a detailed list of senior Hamas operatives based in Turkey who have been directing planned attacks in Judea and Samaria. The agency stated that dozens of terror plots have been foiled over the past year, alleging that these operatives act "unhindered" from Turkish territory to recruit attackers and transfer funds.
The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) issued a rare public disclosure on Sunday naming the key figures within Hamas's "West Bank Headquarters" currently operating out of Istanbul. According to the agency, this unit has significantly increased its efforts over the last year to direct extensive military activity into Judea, Samaria, and Israel from Turkish soil. The disclosure identifies Zaher Jabarin as the head of the West Bank headquarters and Ayman Abu Khalil as the head of its military wing.
Operatives and Methods
The agency named several other operatives allegedly involved in the network's logistics and recruitment. These include Ayman Sharawna and Salam Yaish, who are accused of recruiting operatives for attacks, and Muhammad Mallah, who reportedly manages terror funds between Turkey and Qatar. The Shin Bet also linked Majed Jaaba to the smuggling of the weapon used in the November 2023 shooting attack at the Jerusalem-area "tunnels" checkpoint. Another operative, Walid Abu Nassar, was identified as the financier of a Hamas infrastructure in Bethlehem.
Analysis and Implications
The Shin Bet's statement emphasizes that Hamas utilizes Turkish infrastructure to hold meetings and transfer instructions to cells on the ground. By explicitly stating that these operatives act "unhindered," the Israeli security establishment is signaling a sharp critique of the Turkish government's role in harboring the terror group's leadership. This development follows years of Israeli intelligence monitoring the Istanbul hub, which remains a primary engine for Hamas's attempts to destabilize the West Bank and execute high-casualty attacks within Israel.
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