Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas) has signed an order Monday prohibiting the departure of senior Hamas activist Afis Ibrahim Musa Hamada from the country.
According to intelligence material presented to Minister Deri, Hamada is a key Hamas activist who was imprisoned in the past for terrorist activities and maintains regular contacts with Hamas terrorist operatives abroad.
Deri was convinced that Hamada's departure from the country is liable to cause real harm to state security and increase the risk of terrorist activity in Israel. The order is valid at this stage for one month. Afterwards, Minister Deri may extend the order, or allow it to expire.