The Shin Bet security agency announced on Wednesday that it has thwarted several attempts by Hamas to build terrorist infrastructure in Judea and Samaria for the purpose of carrying out deadly attacks in Israel.
Within the framework of its operation, the Shin Bet said it arrested an explosives expert trained by Hamas' military wing, who had infiltrated Israel under humanitarian pretenses. The bomb-maker has already been indicted by a military court.
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According to the Shin Bet, Fadi Abu Alsabah was trained for over a year to establish a bomb-making factory in Judea and Samaria. Alsabah was allowed to enter Israel to receive medical treatment.
Alsabah, 35, a resident of Nuseirat in the Gaza Strip, was arrested in the city of Taybeh by the Shin Bet and police on May 18. He was allegedly recruited by Hamas' military wing in July 2018. He is said to have undergone intensive training to acquire bomb-making skills and withstand questioning by border patrol and Shin Bet agents.
According to the Shin Bet, Alsabah was recruited to the terrorist organization by Ashraf Sabah, a 37-year-old Hamas operative who was released from Israeli prison in 2015 after serving a 12-year sentence for involvement in a bomb attack on an IDF patrol on the Gaza border and for planning additional attacks inside Israel.
The Shin Bet also said that in recent months it had uncovered several other Hamas cells in Judea and Samaria. Among other things, according to the Shin Bet, these cells had planned to carry out suicide bombings and shooting attacks on Israeli targets.
"We again see that Hamas is choosing to exploit the humanitarian permits given by Israel … to advance its hostile activities in Israel and in Judea and Samaria," a senior Shin Bet official said.
