A new investigation published Monday evening by the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung revealed that Hamas had quietly established dangerous terror networks and operational infrastructure across several European countries.
For years, security experts largely assumed that the terror organization’s operational ambitions were confined to Israel and the Middle East. A series of high-profile arrests, weapons seizures and intelligence breakthroughs now paints a far more alarming picture: Hamas was allegedly preparing to carry out attacks on European soil.
The network reportedly extended across Greece, Cyprus, Germany, Denmark, Austria and other parts of the continent, with operatives building weapons caches, establishing smuggling routes and identifying potential targets. The planned attacks were said to include Jewish, Israeli, American and European sites.
2+A major turning point in the investigation came in Greece, where security forces arrested a suspect after intelligence led police to components and materials used to manufacture explosive devices. Investigators suspect that the cell was preparing to target an Israeli cruise ship that regularly docks in the area—a plot that could have produced mass casualties among passengers and crew.
At the same time, security operations and arrests in Germany, Denmark, Austria and other countries uncovered weapons caches, explosive devices and maps marking possible future targets.
Methods of Operation and Smuggling Routes
According to the investigation, Hamas operatives exploited Europe’s open borders and transportation networks to construct a covert logistical system capable of moving weapons and personnel from one country to another.
The smuggling routes relied on networks of local supporters and operatives who transported firearms, ammunition and other weapons across national borders. Authorities reportedly uncovered cases in which handguns, assault rifles and ammunition were moved through Scandinavia and Germany before reaching destinations in central Europe.
2+Security officials believe the infrastructure was built gradually over a long period. The operation allegedly included the recruitment of operatives, training in several regions around the world and the placement of members under deep cover.
Some reportedly presented themselves as ordinary, law-abiding residents, while others operated under the guise of asylum seekers, allowing the network to remain hidden while its members assembled weapons, gathered intelligence and prepared for future attacks.
The cells allegedly received direct instructions from senior figures in Hamas’s military wing in the Middle East. Their mission was to prepare high-impact attacks against Jewish, Israeli and American targets, while establishing the capability to strike elsewhere across Europe.
2+The investigation challenges the long-standing assumption that Hamas viewed Europe primarily as a base for fundraising, political activity and recruitment. Instead, the evidence suggests that the terror organization was also treating the continent as a potential battlefield.
Europe may have believed the war was far away. The investigation suggests Hamas believed otherwise—treating the continent not as a sanctuary, but as its next operational front.