The Media Line: Israel Arrests Hamas Intelligence Chief in Gaza Operation  

Israel Arrests Hamas Intelligence Chief in Gaza Operation  

By The Media Line  

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Tuesday that a senior figure in Gaza had been arrested, later identified as Moein al-Arabid, head of Hamas’ General Security and the official responsible for the terrorist organization’s counterintelligence and intelligence operations, Ynet reported.   

Earlier Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces said it had struck targets in Gaza to “remove threats to security forces.”  

Saudi television reported that an Israeli-backed militia had attempted to abduct a senior figure before the operation was discovered: “A militia cooperating with Israel attempted to kidnap a prominent figure, the matter was exposed and led to Israeli air intervention,” Al-Hadath reported.  

Hamas-affiliated outlets offered a different account, claiming Hamas forces had thwarted an operation targeting one of the terrorist group’s figures. The outlets also claimed Hamas operatives attempted to capture members of the force involved before Israeli air intervention prevented them from doing so.  

Reports differed over who carried out the operation, with some identifying those involved as Israeli troops and others describing them as members of an Israeli-backed Palestinian militia.  

Medical teams in the Gaza Strip claimed that four people, including women and children, were killed during the operation and at least 18 others were wounded.