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- Israel arrests Palestinian gathering intelligence for Hamas
Israel arrests Palestinian gathering intelligence for Hamas
Tasks included exposing the identity of Shin Bet agents and gathering intelligence on sites in Israel
Israel's Shin Bet internal security agency revealed on Thursday it arrested a Palestinian from Gaza last month accused of gathering intelligence for Hamas while using a work permit.
In November 2022, Sabar Mahmoud Yosef Abu Thabat, 28, a resident of Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip, was arrested for questioning at Erez crossing while trying to enter Israel.
The Shin Bet investigation found that officials from the Hamas militant group were using him for the purpose of gathering intelligence and carrying out missions in Israel. The tasks Hamas asked him to perform included exposing the identity of Shin Bet agents and gathering intelligence on sites in Israel.
Additionally, the Shin Bet noted that the investigation revealed information about the operating methods of Hamas's intelligence mechanisms, including the identity of operators and the locations of tunnels.
The investigation's findings detailed that Abu Thabat "took advantage of his stay in Israel, which was intended to give him the opportunity to work in Israel and provide for his family, for the benefit of transmitting intelligence information to his operatives in the Hamas security apparatus," according to the Shin Bet.
His case was transferred to the prosecutor's office in the Southern District and it is expected that an indictment will be filed against him attributing security offenses to him.
The Shin Bet said it will continue to work together with Israel's police and military in order to locate and thwart in advance any hostile activity on the part of all parties operating on behalf of Hamas.