Jerusalem, Israel – In a significant counterterrorism operation, the Shin Bet and Israeli police successfully dismantled a Hamas-directed terror cell operating out of Turkey.
The six-member cell, all Palestinian residents of Nablus, was in the advanced stages of planning attacks within Israel, officials said.
Israeli security forces seized an array of weapons and cash, including an M-16 assault rifle, an improvised explosive device (IED) found near Jit, and $60,000 in suspected terror funds. Authorities believe the money was funneled through Turkey to fund Hamas's activities in the region.
“This operation is yet another example of Hamas’s ongoing attempts to destabilize Israel and orchestrate attacks from abroad,” a senior security official stated. “We will continue to dismantle these networks and prevent attacks before they occur.”