Police push back after Shin Bet disputes arrest of illegal Gaza residents in Rahat
Security agencies trade blame after i24NEWS Hebrew edition report as official says Rahat suspects entered Israel before October 7
A senior police official sharply criticized the Shin Bet on Sunday, following an i24NEWS Hebrew editon report revealing that three terrorists who infiltrated Israel on October 7 were apprehended in the southern city of Rahat. The official accused the internal security agency of attempting to deflect responsibility and obscure intelligence failures surrounding the suspects’ presence inside Israel.
“The Shin Bet does not want to admit its failure,” the police official said. “There was a significant intelligence indication that showed the infiltrators had breached and spread out. The suspects are currently in their hands, any attempt to manipulate the information is equivalent to the information they provided that same morning.”
The comments came after security officials earlier claimed the three detainees had been living in Israel legally prior to the war and only became illegal residents after work permits were canceled. According to those officials, the men were not infiltrators from October 7 but long-term residents whose status changed following the outbreak of hostilities.
A separate police source rejected that characterization, insisting the arrests were based on a coordinated intelligence effort. “Their arrest plan was coordinated together with the Shin Bet, with the help of presenting a joint intelligence picture,” the source said. He added that the dispute reflects “an attempt to undermine the credibility of the police in order to cover up a failure.”
The three suspects were transferred for interrogation to the Sde Teiman base, where security authorities are continuing to question them regarding their movements, activities, and possible operational intentions. Police officials maintain that the case could have resulted in a deadly attack had the suspects not been located and detained in time.
i24NEWS Hebrew revealed the arrests on Saturday night during its Shabbat Magazine broadcast, describing a dramatic police operation that led to the capture of the three men in Rahat. According to the report, the suspects had been staying in the city for more than two years after infiltrating Israeli territory during the October 7 Hamas-led assault.
The public dispute highlights ongoing tensions between Israel’s security agencies as they face scrutiny over intelligence gaps exposed by the October 7 attack. As investigations continue, officials on both sides are bracing for further questions over responsibility, coordination, and the handling of critical intelligence before and after the war began.