The terrorist group Hamas in Gaza has been using female operatives to aid its terror operations in Judea and Samaria, according to Israel’s Shin Bet security service.
Israel arrested seven women and two men aiding Hamas in the city of Hebron, where King David was crowned. The network allegedly helped transmit messages, transfer funds for terror activities, and coordinate operations, according to The Times of Israel. The group was also accused of giving support to families of jailed terrorists.
As Ynet News reports, “In general, Hamas, an extremist religious terrorist organization, does not use women for its military activities. In this case, it appears women were used mainly for intelligence collection and for money laundering.”
Some of the people in the arrested group traveled overseas to meet with Hamas officials; they also went to Turkey for money to finance terror, according to the Shin Bet.
Additionally, the group reportedly attempted to usurp control of municipal services in Hebron, which Israel’s Hadashot News theorized was to prepare to assume control in the area after Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas dies or retires.
Shin Bet released a statement saying, “The exposure of the infrastructure proves once again that the Hamas headquarters in the Gaza Strip and abroad are directing Hamas activities in Judea and Samaria, through of any means at their disposal, including through the use of women. These elements are constantly working to inflame Hamas activity in the West Bank and to this end recruit emissaries traveling on the route between the West Bank and abroad for the purpose of transferring terrorist funds and messages to operatives in the field.
Nizar Shehada and Firas Abu Sharakh, who have served time in Israeli prisons for terror-related actions, were identified as leading the network. Dina Karmi, whose husband Nashat Karmi murdered four Israelis in an August 2010 terror attack, led the women.
