Terrorism and the Media: Hamas operatives in the Gaza Strip who also worked as media personnel were involved in recruiting a terrorist network exposed in Judea and Samaria

The Israel Security Agency recently exposed a Hamas network in Judea and Samaria whose operatives were recruited and handled by Hamas operatives in the Gaza Strip. The recruits were given instructions to carry out terrorist attacks in Judea, Samaria and Israel.

Interrogation revealed the methods used by the handlers in the Gaza Strip. The recruiters represented themselves as journalists, and covert messages were passed to the recruits though al-Aqsa TV, Hamas’ most important media outlet (in order to verify the authenticity of their handlers in the Gaza Strip).

The Israel Security Agency report mentioned the names of four media personnel in the Gaza Strip who were involved in Hamas’ recruiting and handling the operatives in Judea and Samaria. The ITIC examined their names and roles: one was identified as a correspondent for Hamas’ organ al-Risalah, who customarily covers the “return marches;” another was a Hamas operative who often photographed “return march” events and the activities of the night harassment unit; another was a broadcaster and director of foreign relations for Hamas’ alAqsa TV, who sent covert messages to one of the recruited terrorists in Judea and Samaria during his broadcasts; and the final one was a long-standing al-Aqsa TV broadcaster who referred to himself as a “disciple” of Yahya Ayyash (known as “the engineer,” who was behind a wave of deadly terrorist attacks against Israel).

Read full report in PDF, click here.