Israeli security forces thwarted attack planned by Gaza terrorists
The Israeli forces seized an ‘explosive device’ that was set to be used in a ‘significant terrorist attack in Israel’
The Shin Bet domestic security agency said on Monday that it had thwarted a bombing attack in Israel directed by terrorist operatives from the Gaza Strip.
“At the end of an operation that lasted several weeks led by the General Security Service in cooperation with the IDF (Israeli military), on December 14 a terrorist infrastructure that planned bomb and suicide attacks in Israeli territory was thwarted,” the agency’s statement said.
As part of the operation, the Shin Bet and the IDF arrested a number of terrorist operatives, “who were acting under the direction of the ‘Resistance Committees’ organization and the ‘Shahadaa Al-Aqsa’ organization,” referring to terrorist organizations operating in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli forces also seized an “explosive device” that was set to be used in a “significant terrorist attack in Israel.”
The operation focused on a number of known terrorist operatives from the Gaza Strip, headed by Ahmad Fathi Omar Hajjaj, a resident of Jabaliya, who is known as an expert in the production of explosives.
“The many intelligence products obtained from the operational activity led to the disclosure of the identities of other terrorist masterminds from the Gaza Strip, including: Maha Ladawi (resident of Nizirat), who helped recruit threats to the infrastructure and worked together with Jahad Ahmed, Zabri Muhammad Zabri Aram and Iman Yosef Khalil Zakot (residents of Rafah),” the agency said.
In addition, a number of suspects were arrested for investigation by the Shin Bet, due to their involvement in promoting the terrorist activity that was exposed. Among them were Yunes Odeh, Khaled Marai, Ahmad Taher Jaradat and Kis Elshaib. The operation was carried out as part of the “long-running campaign that the General Security Service maintains together with the IDF and the Israel Police to thwart terrorism in the territories of Israel using a variety of methods and tools.”
“The State of Israel takes very seriously the terrorist activity directed from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank and Israel and works to thwart any threat ahead of time, and considers the Hamas organization to be responsible for all terrorist activity from the Gaza Strip,” the Shin Bet stated.
Outgoing prime minister Yair Lapid praised the security forces for the succesfull operation.
“I congratulate the Shin Bet, the IDF and the police for intelligence and operational activity that led to the arrest of terrorist squads – the long hand of the State of Israel will reach anyone who tries to harm the citizens of Israel,” he said.
“The war against terrorist infrastructures and terrorists continues every day, in all sectors – the security forces continue to act all the time to thwart any attempt to harm us. The struggle is not over – the State of Israel works all the time, with zero tolerance against terrorism. This is the only way we can allow a routine of life alongside a stubborn struggle,” he added.
Source: i24news
