Released for publication: Approximately a month ago, the IDF captured a Hamas terrorist from Gaza as he was swimming into Israel. It was initially reported that he was a Hamas naval commando and that he was smuggled out of Gaza by boat.
בהמשך להודעת שב”כ, היום הותר לפרסום כי לפני כחודש עצרו כוחות זרוע הים חשוד שניסה לחדור בשחייה מרצועת עזה לשטחה הימי של ישראל. מערך השליטה הימי איתר את החשוד והכווין אליו את לוחמי פלגה 916 ולוחמי יחידת סנפיר של זרוע הים pic.twitter.com/fWAGHyrEp5
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline)
The IDF released a video of the man’s capture at sea as he was swimming to Israel for the purpose of getting arrested, so as to get away from his “family issues” and Hamas.
The man was identified as Izz al-Din Hussein, 24, from Jabalya in Gaza.
He served in Hamas’s air defense unit from 2013 to 2018. As part of his job, he stored an anti-aircraft missile in his home for the purpose of trying to knock down an IDF helicopter and capture or kill the IDF soldiers on board.
His arrest provided Israel with new and unique insights and knowledge into Hamas and how the terror organization operates.
