Israeli forces have captured a senior Hamas intelligence official during a covert operation in Gaza City, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday. The Israeli military and the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, jointly carried out the raid, which targeted the head of Hamas’s internal security apparatus.
Netanyahu praised the operation as “daring,” stating the detainee is one of Hamas’s most senior leaders and accusing him of playing a key role in concealing and transporting more than 250 Israeli hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attacks. The prime minister emphasized Israel’s continued determination to pursue all Hamas leaders involved in the October 7 incidents and efforts to rebuild Hamas’s operational capabilities.
The official has been identified by multiple Palestinian sources as Moein Muhammad al-Arabid, head of Hamas’s internal security in the Gaza City district. Reports indicate he was wounded during the operation and subsequently taken to Israel. Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the detention of a senior Hamas figure but did not provide further details.
Eyewitnesses described Israeli airstrikes providing cover for the raid, reporting around a dozen strikes in western Gaza City, a known Hamas stronghold. The territory’s civil defense agency reported casualties from the strikes, including two children and a woman. The Israeli military reportedly engaged in shelling and drone strikes on the area concurrent with the ground operation.
Initial accounts suggest the capture was carried out by gunmen who arrived on motorbikes and engaged in a shootout before detaining the target. Unverified footage from Egyptian media showed a white van leaving the area, purportedly linked to the operation. While Israeli official statements did not name the involvement of local factions, several reports and foreign media sources indicated that anti-Hamas Palestinian militias inside Gaza played a central role in the raid, operating with support from Israeli forces.
The operation marked one of the first high-profile abductions deep within Gaza in recent years. Israeli officials highlighted the significance of the arrest given Al-Arabid’s senior position within Hamas’s security hierarchy and his alleged involvement in managing the group’s internal security and hostage affairs.
No immediate comment was available from Hamas regarding the raid or the capture of Al-Arabid. The abduction underscores the ongoing complexities and tensions in Gaza following the persistent conflict and hostage crisis that have intensified Israeli military actions in the territory.