While many accuse us of restricting the movement of goods and materials from the Gaza Strip, just for shits’n’giggles, those interested in the truth and paying attention know we try to navigate the tricky balancing act between preventing terrorism and humanitarian concerns. As an example of this, last month we announced an additional 3,000 Gazans would be allowed into Israel to work, bringing the total of recently announced permits to 10,000.
Today we have a reminder as to why those people complaining really need to drink a steaming hot cup of STFU:
Israeli security forces arrested two men last month, an Arab Israeli and a Palestinian from the Gaza Strip, who are suspected of spying on Israel on behalf of the Hamas terror group, the Shin Bet security service said Thursday.
The agency said the two gathered information about the Israeli military and its Iron Dome missile defense batteries. They were arrested on November 29, and indictments were filed against the Arab Israeli man in Beersheba’s Southern District Court and against the Palestinian suspect in a Central District Court in Lod on Thursday, prompting the Shin Bet to release information about the case.
The Palestinian suspect, Mammoud Ahmad, 33, had legally entered Israel multiple times with a valid permit. According to the Shin Bet, Ahmad was recruited by Hamas in 2019 and during his time in Israel that year gathered intelligence about Iron Dome batteries across the country and “covertly photographed Israel Defense Forces soldiers in the Ashkelon central bus station.”
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The Israeli suspect, Hasin Biari, a resident of Jaffa, is believed to have been recruited by Hamas over the past year while visiting Gaza, the Shin Bet said. According to the charge sheet against him, Biari was born in the Gaza Strip and his wife still lives there.
This is of course not the first time Hamas has tried to exploit Israel permitting movement between Gaza and Israel. And we see them and other terror groups exploit Israeli humanitarian gestures, in general.
Hat tip: Michal
