Security forces in Saudi Arabia have arrested over 60 individuals identified as Hamas members, the Lebanese news outlet Al Mayadeen reported on Tuesday, quoting Palestinian sources based in Saudi Arabia.
According to the Lebanese report, the detainees are Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip who are members of the Hamas government.
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The report said that Saudi forces raided the offices of Palestinian Hamas operatives in the kingdom, seizing computers and documents.
Al Mayadeen reported that for some weeks, Saudi security forces have been arresting and questioning Hamas supporters and operatives in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government has reportedly issued orders to confiscate the money and assets of Hamas operatives and supporters, as well as an order banning Hamas activity in the kingdom and banning membership in organizations suspected of helping Hamas launder money.
Hamas put out a statement claiming that on April 4, Saudi authorities arrested senior Hamas official Mohammed al-Khoudari, who is nearing 80 and has been living in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah for the past three decades. For two decades, al-Khoudari was a prominent figure in Hamas-Saudi relations, as well as filling other roles in the leadership of the terrorist group. He is known as the "Hamas ambassador" to Saudi Arabia.
Since his arrest, al-Khoudari – who is reportedly suffering from a terminal illness – has reportedly been in detention.
Hamas called his arrest a "strange, incomprehensible step."
