By Nidal al-Mughrabi
Al-Arabeed is known to be a powerful member of the group’s security service While Hamas did not identify his role. CAIRO, Sept 1 – Israeli special forces captured a Hamas militant leader in a raid in Gaza City on Tuesday while Israeli air strikes meant to protect those troops killed four Palestinians, authorities said.
Israel’s military said in a statement that special forces from the Shin Bet intelligence agency captured Hamas’ internal security service chief in a joint operation with the military in a Hamas-controlled area of Gaza City. Hours after the raid, the Hamas-run Gaza interior ministry said that a Hamas officer, Moin Al-Arabeed, was injured and captured by Israel while his wife was killed and some of his children were injured.
In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Shin Bet and the military for what he described as a daring operation. Like the military statement, Netanyahu did not name the Hamas leader. He said the Hamas leader was responsible for concealing and transporting Israeli hostages captured in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel. Witnesses said Israeli warplanes fired at least 12 missiles near the Katiba area in the west of Gaza City, an area crowded with displaced families who were forced to leave.
The military said the Hamas militant had been taken into Israel for questioning by Israel’s security forces. During the operation, the Israeli air force carried out strikes “to remove threats” on the ground, the military said, adding that no soldiers were injured. At least four people including two children were killed and several others wounded, medics said.
