IDF Arabic Language Spokesman Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee revealed on Thursday that Hamas recruited a Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative to act as a spy within the terror organization.
According to Adraee, Murad Walid Omar Shaheen joined the ranks of Islamic Jihad in 2010, where he served in the counter-espionage department of the organization’s military wing.
In 2022, an operating officer for the Hamas General Security Service, named Taher Mahmoud Tahar Al-Aqqad, recruited Shaheen to work as a spy for Hamas and provide information about Islamic Jihad.
As a double agent, Shaheen provided Hamas with sensitive internal information about Islamic Jihad members, individuals nominated for promotion, and internal tensions within Islamic Jihad. He also provided military information about the organization, which dealt with the geographical deployment of “Al-Quds Brigades” members, and information about how to purchase spy equipment and the reason for stopping the Islamic Jihad’s tunnel-digging work.
During a presentation prepared by the Hamas General Security Service, which was presented to Yahya Al-Sinwar, the members of the agency recounted the method of their spying on Islamic Jihad and their work to influence the internal trends and actions of the organization.
Adraee noted: "Do not believe the lies of the terrorist organizations in Gaza regarding the 'united front!' Hamas uses the General Security Service to introduce spies into organizations it considers its 'partners' and sabotage their activities, with the aim of keeping all influence in Gaza in its hands."
According to the spokesman, there are thousands of members of the Public Security Service, such as Shaheen and the officer operating him, who are being exposed now.