Mahmoud Kawasme, a senior Hamas official who was one of the planners and financiers of a terror cell that kidnapped and murdered three Israeli teens in 2014, was arrested by Israeli security forces at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, the Shin Bet and IDF announced Wednesday evening.
Kawasme was one of the Palestinian inmates deported to Gaza in the 2011 prisoner swap for IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, from where he directed Hamas terrorist activities in the West Bank, including the abduction and murder of Gil-ad Shaer, Eyal Yifrach and Naftali Fraenkel, as well as several shooting attacks in recent years.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday evening that Israeli security forces have detained several senior Hamas officials in recent operations.
"As we prepare to enter Rafah, which will take some time, we continue to act with full force," Netanyahu said. "We are continuing operations in Khan Younis, the central camps, by targeting and capturing Hamas leaders as we have just done in Al Shifa, and by eliminating hundreds of terrorists."
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