The occupation claims to have thwarted a large Hamas cell in Hebron.

The Israeli General Security Service (Shin Bet) announced on Sunday that it had succeeded, in cooperation with the army and police, in "thwarting a large-scale Hamas infrastructure in the city of Hebron." The agency claimed that it was one of the "largest cells uncovered in recent years" and that it "planned to carry out a series of operations in the near future."

The Shin Bet said in a statement that "more than 60 Hamas operatives were arrested over the past three months, during intensive daily activity involving army and police units." It added that investigations revealed that "the cell members were planning to carry out shooting and bombing attacks against Israeli targets, and that they conducted training, gathered intelligence, and assembled explosive devices to carry out attacks in the West Bank and inside Israel."

The Shin Bet claimed that "most of the cell's members are former prisoners who had previously served time in Israeli prisons, and that some are Hamas leaders in the Hebron area." It added that "the investigations led to the thwarting of ten additional small cells belonging to the same structure, which were intending to carry out armed attacks."

The statement said, "Investigations led to the seizure of 22 weapons of various types, 11 hand grenades, and a large quantity of ammunition. A secret underground hideout used to store weapons and shelter wanted individuals was also uncovered."

The Shin Bet also claimed that it "succeeded in uncovering and dismantling cells responsible for previous attacks, including a shooting attack that occurred on August 31, 2010, near the Bani Na'im junction east of Hebron, which resulted in the deaths of four Israelis." It explained that "one person involved in the attack was arrested, in addition to others involved in providing assistance."

The statement added that "a number of the detainees were also involved in providing weapons for the shooting attack that took place at the Tunnels Checkpoint near Jerusalem on November 16, 2023, which resulted in the death of a soldier."

The statement quoted a senior Shin Bet official as saying, "This is the largest investigation thwarted in the West Bank in the past decade," adding that "most of the cell members had previously been imprisoned and have experience handling investigations, and that the structure operated in secrecy and under strict security discipline between the various cells."

The statement indicated that the Israeli Public Prosecution has begun filing indictments against the detainees, which include "serious charges, including running a terrorist organization, holding leadership positions, attempted premeditated murder, and premeditated mass murder."

The Shin Bet concluded its statement by stressing that "the General Security Service will continue to work in cooperation with the army and police to thwart any attempt by Hamas to carry out attacks against Israeli citizens, and will not hesitate to hold all those involved accountable, even years after the attacks were carried out," it said.