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- Israel busts Hamas cell planning attacks, including against MK Ben Gvir
Israel busts Hamas cell planning attacks, including against MK Ben Gvir
Operatives were organizing a series of terrorist attacks in Jerusalem, Shin Bet investigation reveals
Israel's Shin Bet internal security service arrested a Palestinian terrorist cell planning to assassinate Israeli lawmaker Itamar Ben Gvir from the right-wing Religious Zionism party.
The Hamas cell was also planning to perpetrate a series of attacks in Jerusalem, including against the city's light rail.
The five men were arrested by security forces in early April and were indicted in a Jerusalem court on Tuesday.
According to the Shin Bet investigation, the cell was led by Rashid Rasheq, who is described by the agency as a prominent Hamas operative living in Jerusalem's Old City, who along with Hamas operative Mansour Safadi from Abu Tor planned a shooting attack or suicide bombing in Jerusalem.
The suspects even purchased a drone which they planned to arm with weapons and use to attack the light rail system.
The Shin Bet investigation also revealed that the members of the cell planned to hide in Hebron or Jenin after carrying out the terrorist attacks.
According to the investigation, Rasheq organized activists in Jerusalem with the goal to carry out riots in the city's eastern neighborhoods and on the Temple Mount during Ramadan.
The operatives transferred many fireworks and Hamas flags and ribbons to eastern Jerusalem and the Temple Mount for use during the riots that took place over the month of Ramadan, according to Shin Bet.