Hamas to Accuse PA Parties of Involvement in PM Assassination Attempt

Hamas armed militant. Photo: Reuters
Hamas armed militant. Photo: Reuters
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Hamas to Accuse PA Parties of Involvement in PM Assassination Attempt

Hamas armed militant. Photo: Reuters
Hamas armed militant. Photo: Reuters

Recently surfacing signs suggest that Gaza Strip’s ruling party Hamas is moving towards accusing the Palestinian Authority and its affiliates of involvement in the assassination attempt on the life of Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah.

Head of General Intelligence Majid Faraj in the Gaza Strip is among those thought by Hamas to have been involved.

Despite Hamas’ inclination to point fingers towards the PA, there exists evidence tying the attempt to extremist militias.

Hamas officials said they were preparing to accuse specific parties in Ramallah within a few days of announcing the end of the probe into the assassination attempt, which deepened Palestinian divisions.

The PA, in turn, blamed Hamas for the assassination attempt.

“PA officials insistence on stepping up their accusations against Hamas and their refusal to wait for the results of the investigation reflect a real crisis due to the exposure of crime details confirming their direct involvement,” Hamas Spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said.

Barhoum's statement is not surprising in light of hints that Hamas leaders have resorted to blaming external parties since news of the assassination attempt first broke out.

They spoke of a “play” to “disavow reconciliation” or “try to polish an alternative leadership.”

But Barhoum’s statement is the first direct and explicit suggestion of PA's direct involvement.

His accusations came at a time when Hamas confirmed that the coming days would reveal “the true beneficiaries of the attack targeting the convoy of Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah."

“The beneficiaries of the bombing seek to torpedo reconciliation and strike security in Gaza,” he said.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accused Hamas of being behind the attempted assassination of Hamdallah and Faraj and vowed to take "national, legal and financial measures" against the Gaza Strip.

Abbas also attacked Hamas in an unprecedented manner, directing “big and small” threats.



Lebanese Authorities Uncover Hamas and Jamaa Islamiyya Training Camp in Aley

Lebanese soldiers deployed in downtown Beirut. (EPA file)
Lebanese soldiers deployed in downtown Beirut. (EPA file)
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Lebanese Authorities Uncover Hamas and Jamaa Islamiyya Training Camp in Aley

Lebanese soldiers deployed in downtown Beirut. (EPA file)
Lebanese soldiers deployed in downtown Beirut. (EPA file)

Lebanese security authorities have uncovered a covert military training camp in the Aley district, reportedly operated by members of the Palestinian Hamas movement and Lebanon’s al-Jamaa al-Islamiya.

The discovery comes amid a broader national crackdown on extremist cells, including ISIS affiliates, which have been attempting to reestablish a foothold in Lebanon.

According to a senior judicial source who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat, the Lebanese Army dismantled the camp three weeks ago following the arrest of an armed group on the outskirts of the town of Tabbiyat in Mount Lebanon.

Although more than ten suspects have been detained, the military judiciary has yet to formally charge them.

The source revealed that the camp was fully equipped with weapons and training facilities and hosted Lebanese and foreign fighters. Among the detainees are individuals with significant militant experience, sons of former fighters who battled Israel in the south and were later assassinated. Most of the suspects are from Beirut, with some of Jordanian nationality.

Parallel to these discoveries, the army announced the arrest of a new ISIS cell. In a statement, the military said it had detained three Lebanese nationals involved in plotting attacks against army positions.

The suspects were reportedly acting under the direction of ISIS operatives based abroad.

Interrogations are ongoing, and authorities are working to apprehend additional members of the cell.

The arrest comes amid a resurgence of concern over extremist activity in Lebanon, especially following renewed instability in neighboring Syria.

However, another judicial source downplayed the threat, saying recent media reports about an alleged suicide bombing plot in Beirut’s southern suburbs were exaggerated.

The source confirmed the arrest of two Syrian nationals, Khaled al-Zoubi and Mohammed al-Ajlouni, who had illegally entered Lebanon after the collapse of Syrian government control in certain areas.

They had taken refuge in Sidon and were allegedly preparing to plant an explosive device on a motorcycle in a crowded area. However, no evidence was found that they possessed the necessary weapons or explosives to carry out such an attack.

The source emphasized that while many of the detainees show signs of radicalization, few possess the capabilities to act.

“ISIS does not activate cells without providing weapons and clearly defined targets. Most recent claims of plots have been overblown and possibly politically motivated, particularly after the unrest in Syria’s Sweida province,” he said.

Meanwhile, recent arrests of Syrians in the Beirut suburb of Bourj al-Barajneh and the Bekaa town of Shmestar were initially linked to ISIS, but later disproven.

Security sources clarified that the detainees were involved in human smuggling and were not connected to any militant group. Their arrests coincided with Ashoura commemorations, prompting suspicion.

“Security concerns are valid,” one official said, “but they must not be used to incite fear or mislead the public.”