A state of shock prevails over government security agencies and others within the Hamas movement, after the lightning Israeli operation that targeted, shortly before noon on Tuesday, the prominent security official in the movement and its government, Moin Al-Arabid, who was kidnapped and transported into Israel.
On the other hand, Israeli reports talk about what they describe as an “intelligence treasure” that the Israeli security services can obtain by interrogating Al-Arabid.
One day after the operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, while inspecting his forces in Gaza, that the Hebrew state would not withdraw from the Palestinian Strip. Netanyahu stressed from the “yellow line” area that separates the areas where Israeli forces are deployed from those under the administration of “Hamas”: “We control the area. We will not retreat. We will remain on this line.”
The Israeli operation, which was carried out by a force from the General Security Agency (Shin Bet), was about to become more complicated, especially since Al-Arabid and his family members, including his wife and daughter, and his companions, participated in the clashes to try to thwart the operation.
The Israeli security operation was carried out in the middle of the “villas” residential square in the Al-Katiba area in Gaza City, which was considered safe, especially since the headquarters of the government internal security service in Gaza, which was led by Al-Arabid, as confirmed by sources to Asharq Al-Awsat, is only about 250 meters or less from the site of the event.
The area also includes many displaced people and Palestinian families who have weapons that were only used a few days ago in a major fight that included hours of shooting, in which at least one person was killed.
Asharq Al-Awsat learned from sources in Hamas in Gaza that an expanded investigation committee had been formed into the circumstances of the operation and how Israeli forces infiltrated the area, noting that all video clips taken from citizens living in the area and those displaced near it were collected, along with what was captured by security cameras belonging to some homes and residential buildings, to determine every step in which the operation took place.
What happened at the time of the attack?
Two security sources revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that Al-Arabid was leaving his house accompanied by an escort when they were surprised by Israeli special forces shooting at them, before his wife was discovered. One of the sources said, “The wife (was killed in the attack) opened fire at members of the Israeli force, and then two of her sons jumped in to shoot (they were seriously injured in the clashes) and try to give their father the opportunity to withdraw from the place, despite his injury to his foot.”
The second security source confirmed that “surveillance cameras and witness testimonies showed that members of the Israeli force chased Al-Arabid, injured him, kidnapped him, and took him outside Gaza City towards areas controlled by the Israeli army, amid intense overflights of warplanes and drones ensuring the withdrawal of that force.”
According to a factional source, “Al-Arabid’s son, who had been married 4 months ago, had his eye removed as a result of a direct injury to it, while his other son, who was supposed to get married yesterday, Tuesday, was seriously injured. While their sister was moderately injured, noting that the mother (wife) was shot directly in the head during the clash. At least two of the companions who were in the backyard of the house at the time of the attack were also injured, and they rushed to clash with the Israeli force.
The source indicated that more than 5 missiles were launched by drones, in addition to more than 14 bombs dropped by small quadcopter drones in the area and its surroundings to distract attention and protect the special force.
A video clip was posted by residents in the area of the moment Al-Arabid crawled while he was wounded, and it seemed that he was trying to escape from the place, but the vehicle carrying the special force reached him, before he opened fire on them, but the Israeli force responded by opening fire and throwing a bomb at him before he was kidnapped.
An Israeli celebration of an “intelligence treasure”
The Israeli celebration of the operation did not stop, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised it on Tuesday evening, and claimed that Al-Arabid was behind keeping Israeli hostages and trying to restore Hamas’ capabilities in Gaza. Meanwhile, a leading source in the movement denied to Asharq Al-Awsat that he had any role related to the movement’s file of kidnapped Israelis during the war.
The military correspondent for the Hebrew Channel 12, Nitzan Shavira, described the confessions that Al-Arabid might make as potentially being an “intelligence treasure” for Israel.
According to the Hebrew Channel 12, Al-Arabid received treatment in an Israeli hospital and is in good condition, and that an investigation has begun with him, amid security estimates that he has a lot of security information to provide regarding his important role in the Hamas movement, noting that the operation was carried out by the Shin Bet only, and that none of the armed gang groups in the Gaza Strip participated.
The channel pointed out that the Shin Bet followed Al-Arabid for a long period, until it received what it described as “golden information and the appropriate opportunity to arrest him. The operation was carried out with a very high level of secrecy, and the details were planned to hide, but the leakage of reports (about the nature of the attack) from Palestinian authorities forced the security services to reveal them.”
On Tuesday, field sources confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that estimates indicate that the Israeli special force had been present in the area for at least two days before the implementation.
A report by the Israeli Broadcasting Authority stated that the Shin Bet was able to locate Al-Arabid several weeks ago, and the possibility of liquidating him by air was studied, but it was realized that he could be brought to Israel for investigation through a special operation.
The report stated that “the operation was planned over a period of months, and was managed from the Shin Bet Special Operations Room,” noting, quoting sources, that “the decision to bring him alive for investigation was taken because of his role in rebuilding Hamas, and the fact that he was one of the elements that hindered the dismantling and disarmament of the movement, and that the operation was coordinated with the Americans, and the approval decision was taken by Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz,” according to the report.
Information is not the sole goal of the operation
Israeli sources told Channel 12 that the operation does not only aim to collect intelligence information; Rather, it also aims to create a feeling of persecution among senior Hamas leaders, even in the event of some kind of truce in Gaza.
The Hebrew newspaper Maariv reported that the operation created a realization within Hamas that its leaders were exposed to Israeli intelligence, and it became aware that it was capable of reaching every home and tunnel. Meanwhile, an Israeli security official told the newspaper that “Al-Arabid is in a similar situation similar to that of the two brothers Muhammad and Yahya Al-Sinwar, who controlled the military wing of Hamas.” While an informed source from the movement denied this story to Asharq Al-Awsat, contenting himself with confirming that he was not just an officer or an ordinary security official.
The newspaper quoted assessments from its sources that “the operation was strategic; “There was the ability to eliminate the target from the air, as it did with others, but Israel decided to bring him in to obtain information,” suggesting that “the operation will yield results according to the information he can provide.”
The Hebrew newspaper "Haaretz" said, "From the Israeli point of view, the arrest of Al-Arabid is of great value, and through his interrogation, it is possible to learn, for example, what (Hamas) knows about the network of agents that Israel currently runs in the Gaza Strip, as one of the lessons of the events of October 7, 2023, in which investigations showed that the operational operations of the agents were very minimal before the war."
The newspaper suggested that Hamas would take steps to try to limit the intelligence damage that would befall it as a result of the kidnapping.
On Tuesday, Hamas sources confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that Al-Arabid was responsible for the file of intelligence personnel with Israel. He also took charge of several sensitive security files, including the arrest of ISIS loyalists and others. He also supervised investigations related to armed gangs.
