A Gaza terrorist with the Izz a-Din al-Qassam Brigades was indicted Tuesday in Be’er Sheva District court, the Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency revealed in a statement cleared for release at midday.
The terrorist was arrested on April 6 after infiltrating into Israel, some two years after operating as a member of the military wing of Hamas.
During the investigation he revealed detailed information about the terror group’s continued efforts to develop its intricate tunnel network from Gaza.
The operative was recruited shortly before Israel’s counter terror war with Hamas in the summer of 2014, according to the statement released by the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet). He told interrogators he underwent military training, dug tunnels and participated in ambushes against Israeli soldiers.
According to the Shin Bet, most of the operative’s training was focused on infiltration, entering buildings and detonating explosives, as “part of the expectation that the next war would take place inside Israeli territory.”
In particular the terrorist shared detailed information with his interrogators about Hamas attack tunnels, including the locations of shafts inside Gaza and the escape routes to be used by the terror group’s elite during emergencies.
Details of the techniques, tools and work procedures of the tunnel diggers were also revealed. “For example, they are not permitted to exit the tunnel in their work attire or before they shower and change their clothes inside the tunnel in an attempt to camouflage their activity,” the statement said.
The operative had stored explosives at his own home in Jabaliya, and participated in planting explosives in and around tunnels to ambush Israeli soldiers in case of enemy infiltration.
The Shin Bet added in its release that the terrorist is only one of several currently being questioned about the Gaza tunnel system and the operating procedures of Hamas.
Michael Bachner of TPS contributed to this report.
