Security reporter Yair Goldblatt reports that Israel has arrested dozens of Hamas operatives who attempted to join militias in Gaza that cooperate with Israel. The operatives, including women, were sent by Hamas to assassinate the leaders of these militias, with a specific focus on the Abu Shabab militia. In one case, an operative nearly succeeded in the assassination but was stopped at the last moment. The detainees are being interrogated by Shin Bet pending a decision on indictment.
The arrests, first reported by i24NEWS on Tuesday, marked a significant Israeli counter-terror operation targeting Hamas infiltration of local militias in Gaza. The new report from security analyst Yair Goldblatt adds that the operation spanned several weeks and involved a focused effort on the Abu Shabab militia, which Israel views as a particularly effective partner. Goldblatt noted that one operative nearly succeeded in assassinating the militia's leadership before being caught. The Shin Bet is continuing its interrogation of the detainees, and a decision on indictment is pending. The IDF spokesperson had not yet responded to a request for comment.
3 developments
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- StrongIDF continues Gaza strikes; 8 Hamas operatives eliminated since morning
- StrongIDF kills two Hamas operatives in precision strike in Gaza
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