Israel Arrests Smugglers Working for Hamas

JERUSALEM, Israel – The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) arrested two residents of the Gaza Strip suspected of smuggling cash to Hamas terror cells in Judea and Samaria.
 
A gag order lifted Wednesday provided details of a joint operation by the Shin Bet, Israel Police and Israel Defense Forces that foiled a cash-smuggling scheme by Hamas, the Palestinian faction ruling Gaza.
 
Israeli authorities arrested Fayez Matzbah Muhammad Atar, 65, a resident of Beit Lahiye in Gaza, at the Tarkumiye crossing last month. Atar held a permit to enter Israel for commercial, or business, purposes.
 
According to the report, Hamas recruited Atar for smuggling cash to Hamas cells in Judea and Samaria. Atar, who hid the cash in his shoes, knew he was being used to transfer money to Hamas operatives. He got away with it for a time in what Israeli officials estimate could have amounted to tens of thousands of euros.
 
The investigation revealed that Atar's family members are actively involved with Hamas operations against Israel, including attacks against Israeli soldiers and in digging attack tunnels. Atar's sons reportedly hosted Hamas meetings in his home.
 
During interrogation, Atar shared information on how tunnels open under civilian residences and mosques and on rocket launching sites set up close to residential areas to endanger civilians for propaganda purposes. It's a common ploy among Islamic terror groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The second suspect is Itallah Ali Abd al-Karim Sirhan, 37, from Jebalya, who two weeks before his arrest received a similar permit as Atar, allowing him to enter Israel for commercial purposes.
 
Sirhan was arrested last month at the Erez Crossing near the Gaza Strip with 10,000 euros hidden in his shoes. Investigators learned he transferred cash to terrorists a day before his arrest. He confessed to knowing the money was meant for terror operations.
 
He had also driven a truck for a company that removed sand from tunnel excavation sites so he had a wealth of information about the exact locations of tunnel openings and the terror organizations responsible.
 
The report also revealed how Hamas uses Israeli efforts to help Gaza's civilian population. While Israel transfers truckloads of humanitarian and medical supplies, the terror organizations in Gaza often exploit those efforts as these two did, using permits meant to help them do business to smuggle funds to terrorists.
 
The IDF said Israel will continue efforts to thwart these kinds of activities and prosecute the offenders to the fullest extent of the law.