Elite Israeli Commandos Tried to Bug Hamas Communications During Botched Gaza Op, Hamas Says
Israeli equipment captured by Hamas following botched Gaza operation in November, displayed by Hamas on January 12, 2019.
Jack Khoury writes in Haaretz:
An elite Israeli force that took part in the botched intelligence operation in the Gaza Strip in November tried to plant surveillance devices on Hamas’ communication network, said on Saturday Abu Ubaida, spokesman for Hamas’ military wing Iz al-Din al-Qassam, in a press conference in Gaza, exposing what the organization claims are the full details of the operation.
According to the findings presented by Hamas, the Israeli force, composed of 15 members of the Israel Defense Forces‘ Sayeret Matkal elite special operations unit, had no Palestinian collaborators.
The force, Abu Ubaida said, entered Gaza from Israel through an opening in the fence on a foggy night in an undisclosed area covered with woods, following nearly a year of training, from January to October of 2018. They allegedly used fake Gazan IDs and had forged documents of humanitarian workers.
Abu Ubaida also said most of the equipment and vehicles used by the Israel force were let in through Kerem Shalom border crossing. The two vehicles used by them were later found by Hamas forces, after the Israeli unit had been exposed on the night of November 11.
Hamas claims that on that night, its forces tried arresting the Israeli soldiers, but a firefight ensued, leading to the deaths of a senior IDF officer and seven Hamas operative, including a senior military commander. The Israeli force then retreated.