Fishing boats off the Gaza coast
Fishing boats off the Gaza coastPhoto: Abed Rahim Khatib /Flash90

In a joint operation, the IDF, Israel Police, and the Shin Bet caught a terrorist from Gaza who was involved in smuggling explosives and raw materials for the production of weaponry for Hamas and other terror organizations.

The terrorist, Hamis Gahad Said Araishi, aged 24, from the Shati refugee camp in Gaza, was arrested last week by the Israel Navy after he sailed out of the area permitted under the conditions of the blockade of Gaza. The blockade is meant to prevent arms and weapons arriving in Gaza by sea.

He admitted under questioning by the Shin Bet that he was involved in smuggling explosives by sea from 2012 until the time of his arrest.

In April 2016, Hamis and his partners attempted to smuggle explosives from Egypt to Gaza, but their plan was foiled by the Navy. He was also planning additional smuggling operations for terror purposes when he was arrested.

The interrogation also revealed that in 2014 Hamis was planning a terror attack against IDF forces in the vicinity of the Zikim beach. He had conducted reconnaissance and even acquired weaponry in preparation.

The interrogation revealed much information regarding Hamas' maritime smuggling routes between Gaza and Egypt and the use made of fishermen and smugglers along the route.

This information, together with intelligence acquired from other Hamas operatives arrested recently, show the extent of the effort and resources invested by Hamas in planning terror attack against Israel, often while taking advantage of concessions made by Israel from humanitarian motives.