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Tel Aviv [Israel], December 21 (ANI/TPS): Israeli security officials said three Gaza men recently detained in the southern city of Rahat were not involved in Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack, contradicting an earlier announcement by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. See updated story.
Three Gazans who entered Israel during the October 7 attack and are suspected of involvement in terrorism were arrested this week in the southern Bedouin city of Rahat, Israeli authorities announced. The arrests were carried out during a police operation at a compound in the city. Officers from a canine unit conducted a search of the site, where they located equipment and ammunition, raising concerns of weapons manufacturing activity. An iron lathe was found in the compound and is believed to have been used to produce or modify weapons. Police also seized approximately 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition, along with additional ammunition intended for use in a Kalashnikov-style rifle. The police said the arrests were part of a broader enforcement campaign launched about a month ago targeting violent crime and weapons offences in the Bedouin sector. The operation involved multiple specialised police units and included dozens of raids on compounds linked to rival clans. Over the course of the campaign, more than 250 suspects were detained on suspicion of illegal possession, use, or theft of weapons, as well as involvement in violent disputes. The suspects were transferred to the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) for interrogation and further investigation. The latest arrests are not the first involving Gazans who entered Israel during the October 7 assault and were later discovered in Rahat. Approximately one month after the attack, two additional suspects linked to Hamas were captured by undercover investigators. At the time, police clarified that the two detainees were not members of Hamas's elite Nukhba force. One was identified as a looter who crossed into Israel from Gaza during the chaos of the attack, while the other was described as a Hamas operative. With a population of roughly 80,000-85,000 residents, Rahat is the world's largest recognised Bedouin city. Around 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. The body of Israeli Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili is the last remaining in Gaza. (ANI/TPS)
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