Hamas Caught Trying to Resurrect Cell in West Bank Village

Latest Developments

Israeli forces have cracked a Hamas attempt to resurrect a terrorist cell in a West Bank village near Jerusalem, the Shin Bet said on August 14. Nine Palestinians are under arrest in connection with an explosives lab, firearms, and getaway maps discovered in Biddu, where Israeli forces killed three Hamas terrorists in September 2021. The detainees confessed to planning to abduct Israelis and carry out gun and bomb attacks on behalf of Hamas, the Shin Bet said.

Expert Analysis

“Hamas is an ever-present threat — not just to Israelis, but also to fellow Palestinians trying to stabilize the West Bank. The location of this cell in Biddu, close to Israel’s capital and the West Bank security barrier abutting several Israeli communities, made it especially dangerous.” — Mark Dubowitz, FDD CEO

“According to the Shin Bet, some of the Biddu detainees are related to the Hamas terrorists interdicted in Biddu two years ago. This underscores the degree to which Palestinian terrorism and clan affiliations can be intertwined — posing an additional challenge to preventive intelligence gathering.” — Joe Truzman, Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

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“Iran and Its Network of Nineteen Terrorist Organizations on Israel’s Borders,” by Joe Truzman

“Post Jenin Operation, Questions Linger About the State of the West Bank,” by Joe Truzman