Israel Arrests Hezbollah Cell Plotting to Kidnap Israelis

A Hezbollah flag and a poster depicting Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah are pictured along a street, near Sidon, Lebanon July 7, 2020. REUTERS/Ali Hashisho/File Photo
A Hezbollah flag and a poster depicting Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah are pictured along a street, near Sidon, Lebanon July 7, 2020. REUTERS/Ali Hashisho/File Photo
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Israel Arrests Hezbollah Cell Plotting to Kidnap Israelis

A Hezbollah flag and a poster depicting Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah are pictured along a street, near Sidon, Lebanon July 7, 2020. REUTERS/Ali Hashisho/File Photo
A Hezbollah flag and a poster depicting Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah are pictured along a street, near Sidon, Lebanon July 7, 2020. REUTERS/Ali Hashisho/File Photo

Four Arab Israelis arrested last month were indicted on Sunday over their ties to Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

Four of them are residents of northern Israel's Galilee, the Shin Bet security service and the police disclosed.

According to the Shin Bet, they were asked to smuggle weapons into Israel and to establish a terror cell to kidnap Israelis, provide information on targets for missile attacks, and locate possible locations for crossing the border from Lebanon into Israeli territory.

Israeli officials have pointed toward a senior Hezbollah official by the name of Hajj Khalil Harb as the one responsible for coordinating weapons smuggling attempts into northern Israel.

Harb is accused of personally directing a Hezbollah operative who met with two of the suspects in Turkey in November.

“This affair illustrates the efforts of Iranian and other terror elements to exploit the Arab and Druze citizens of Israel,” a senior Shin Bet official said. “Citizens who receive inquiries from terror elements are called upon to report this to authorities and to avoid a situation in which they find themselves involved in serious security activities.”

The military said in a separate statement that “Israel’s security forces will continue to operate to maintain security in the region and act against any attempt to violate the sovereignty of the state of Israel."

“During the past year, the Shiite axis led by the Iranian regime and its terrorist proxies across the Middle East has been actively promoting attacks and weapons smuggling into Israel,” it added.



Hamas, Two Other Palestinian Groups Say Gaza Ceasefire Deal 'Closer Than Ever'

Palestinians inspect damages in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, following a Hamas surprise attack, at Beach refugee camp, in Gaza City, October 9, 2023. (Reuters)
Palestinians inspect damages in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, following a Hamas surprise attack, at Beach refugee camp, in Gaza City, October 9, 2023. (Reuters)
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Hamas, Two Other Palestinian Groups Say Gaza Ceasefire Deal 'Closer Than Ever'

Palestinians inspect damages in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, following a Hamas surprise attack, at Beach refugee camp, in Gaza City, October 9, 2023. (Reuters)
Palestinians inspect damages in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, following a Hamas surprise attack, at Beach refugee camp, in Gaza City, October 9, 2023. (Reuters)

Hamas and two other Palestinian militant groups said on Saturday that a Gaza ceasefire deal with Israel is "closer than ever", provided Israel does not impose new conditions.

"The possibility of reaching an agreement (for a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange deal) is closer than ever, provided the enemy stops imposing new conditions," Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said in a rare joint statement issued after talks in Cairo on Friday.

Last week, indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States were held in Doha, rekindling hope of an agreement.

A Hamas leader told AFP on Saturday that talks had made "significant and important progress" in recent days.

"Most points related to the ceasefire and prisoner exchange issues have been agreed upon," he said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak publicly on the issue.

"Some unresolved points remain, but they do not hinder the process. The agreement could be finalized before the end of this year, provided it is not disrupted by (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu's new conditions."