The State Attorney's Office pressed charges last week against a Gaza Strip resident and collaborator with Israeli intelligence service Shin Bet who was recruited by Hamas as a double agent.
Saber Mahmoud Yosef Abu Thabat, 28, was indicted for participating in a terror group and aiding an enemy.
The court case describes Hamas’ methods of acquiring intelligence by manipulating Palestinians with work permits who can enter Israel from Gaza through the Erez Border Crossing.
While the Shin Bet is also working to recruit informants in Gaza, the case sheds light on the difficulties the agency faces in recruiting the right people, who won’t become double agents for Hamas.
The terror outfit is eager to acquire more information about the way the Shin Bet operates in Gaza, and works to collect information about its agents.
According to the charges against Abu Thabat, he was offered to work with Israel once he crossed the border using his business permit.
Abu Thabat's Israeli operator provided him with money so that he could purchase a phone to stay in touch with him. Abu Thabat later called the told his operator that he didn’t wish to work with him, severing all ties between them.
Some days later, Abu Thabat crossed back to Gaza through the Erez crossing, and then back to Hamas-ruled Gaza through another crossing. Abu Thabat approached the second crossing’s director, a Hamas employee, and reported to him about his encounter with the Israeli operative.
Abu Thabat was then directed to another Hamas official who was in charge of Palestinians working with the Shin Bet. According to the charges, Abu Thabat was offered to work for Hamas gathering intelligence on Israel.
“I want you to contact him to see exactly what he wants,” the Hamas official told Abu Thabat. “Report back to us while hiding the fact you’re working with Hamas.”
Abu Thabat agreed and was instructed to meet with the Israeli operator in person and report back details including his appearance, the location where they met, their means of communication, and the tasks given to him to carry out within Gaza.
The Hamas official also instructed him to accept the tasks given to him, and report them back to Hamas so that they could carry them out without harming the organization. Once a week, Abu Thabat would meet with another Hamas official who would tell him to maintain contact with the Israeli operator.
Abu Thabat contacted the Israeli operator in September and was instructed by Hamas to stay in touch with him so that he’ll be able to acquire a permit to enter Israel freely.
According to the charges, Hamas is monitoring and analyzing Shin Bet activities in Gaza. Hamas explained to Abu Thabat how the Shin Bet usually operates, telling him that he will likely be asked questions about himself before the Shin Bet will ask him to do anything.
Abu Thabat asked his Israeli operator several times about entry permits to Israel but did not mention he was questioned by Hamas when he returned to Gaza. He called the Israeli operator again in December and told him he wanted to cooperate with him, asking to arrange a meeting between them.
In their meeting, Abu Thabat said that Hamas did question him when he crossed into Gaza, but that he gave them no information about their talk.
In their next talk, Abu Thabat asked to meet with the Israeli again, who grew suspicious and asked him to take a photo of a Hamas facility in Gaza before meeting him. He then contacted his Hamas contact and told him about his task. The official told him to take the photo surreptitiously, and stressed that the organization will not protect him should he be caught.
After taking a photo of the facility in Gaza, Abu Thabat reported to Hamas that he was instructed to work at a hotel in Tel Aviv, causing the organization to suspect the hotel to be a secret facility and asking him to take photos of it alongside information about types of vehicles arriving at the hotel.
Abu Thabat was arrested by the Shin Bet when he crossed back into Israel and admitted to his cooperation with Hamas during his investigation.
“The defendant, by hurting Israel’s security and working for Hamas in order to do harm, proved that he may hurt Israel further should he be released,” the indictment against Abu Thabat stated.
“The defendant received a work permit allowing him to enter Israel and abused the permit and trust given to him while giving out information with the potential to harm Israel’s security.”