Hamas has entered a “race against time” to protect networks linked to senior security officer Moin Al-Arabeed after an Israeli force captured him Tuesday in a rare operation deep inside Hamas-controlled Gaza City.
Three Hamas sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the group imposed emergency security measures following al-Arabeed's capture, moving quickly to prevent Israel from obtaining information that “could be extremely important,” according to one source.
Speaking separately, the sources said the measures were intended to head off potential surprise Israeli attacks, including assassinations of leaders, security officials and other figures who had been in direct contact with al-Arabeed.
“Hamas is in a race against time,” one source said. “Some officials who had been in contact with al-Arabeed were moved to safe locations, while documents were removed from places he frequented and from other locations he knew about.”
Two sources said Hamas security services had also scrapped some procedures used to relay messages through intermediaries and replaced the people involved. The sources agreed that Hamas was moving swiftly to “reduce the risk” after confirming that al-Arabeed had been captured alive.
A New Target Bank
One source assessed that a key Israeli objective was to “gather new security intelligence about Hamas’ structure in Gaza, after the previously known security picture changed as a result of intensive assassinations, determine who is now running the organization, and compile a new target bank.”
According to the sources, information gathered by Hamas security services over the past two days indicated that the Israeli force received “partial and limited” assistance from Israeli-backed armed Palestinian groups that had been operating in the area for some time, including through surveillance, movement around the site of the operation and monitoring nearby locations.
Some Israeli media cited Palestinian sources as confirming the armed groups’ involvement. However, military correspondents for Israeli television channels quickly relayed denials from Shin Bet security sources, saying the agency had “fully supervised the operation and carried it out highly professionally,” according to Channel 12.
Israeli Forces on Alert
Israeli forces, meanwhile, raised their alert level along the Gaza border over what Israel claimed was the possibility of Hamas attacks in retaliation for al-Arabeed’s capture.
Israel’s Channel 14 reported a “maximum security alert” after what it described as precise intelligence indicating Hamas intended to attack forces deployed in the area.
The Israeli military prepared its troops to thwart any such attack, but none occurred over the following two days. The channel said the intelligence nevertheless indicated Hamas’ growing motivation to target forces deployed near the so-called Yellow Line separating Israeli-held areas from those controlled by Palestinian factions.
Israel Hayom, however, reported that the heightened alert coincided with and followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the Yellow Line opposite Jabalia in northern Gaza, a day after al-Arabeed’s capture.
During the visit, Netanyahu hailed the operation to seize the Hamas internal security official and said Israeli forces would continue their missions and would not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas and the territory were fully disarmed.
Israeli military operations in Gaza intensified Thursday. Two people, including a child, were killed by Israeli fire near the Yellow Line in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza. Israeli forces also carried out a limited ground incursion near Kamal Adwan Hospital, temporarily forcing it to suspend operations after gunfire reached the facility.
Four Palestinians were wounded in similar shooting incidents near the Yellow Line in several areas of Khan Younis in southern Gaza and east of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.
