Hamas has formed an extensive ‘investigation committee’ following the abduction of Moeen al-Arabid, the terror organization’s ‘general security chief’ in the Gaza Strip, according to the Saudi newspaper A-Sharq Al-Awsat.
The committee is examining how Israeli forces managed to penetrate the area where al-Arabid was staying and carry out the operation. Investigators are collecting videos filmed by residents and displaced persons in the area, along with footage from security cameras in nearby homes and residential buildings.
Two security sources who spoke with the newspaper said al-Arabid was caught by surprise as he left his home with one of his escorts. During the firefight, he was shot in the leg and tried to escape, but the Israeli force chased him down, wounded him again, and ultimately overpowered him and extracted him from the Gaza City area.
During the operation, aircraft and drones operated in the area to secure the force and create diversions, the report said. According to one source, more than five missiles were fired from unmanned aircraft, along with additional bombs dropped in the area.
A-Sharq Al-Awsat noted that al-Arabid has held several sensitive security positions in Hamas over the years, including handling Israeli collaborators and cases involving armed organizations and elements suspected of activity against Hamas rule.
The report points to significant confusion within Hamas’s security apparatus, which is now trying to understand how Israel managed to reach a senior security official in the heart of an area previously considered relatively protected.