Dozens of suspected Hamas terrorists have been rounded up and arrested for staying illegally in Israel during a shock attack on a village bordering the West Bank.
Israel’s security service, Shin Bet, worked with the country’s border force, Magav, to round up 52 Hamas members at several locations in Barta’a, a small town that straddles both Israel and the West Bank.
Images of the dramatic raid show how the raid took place at one of the locations hit by the services.
Armed Magev and Shin Bet operatives burst through the front door of a building on the Palestinian side of Barta’a and climbed a flight of stairs to reach where the terrorists were hiding.
Another set of photos show about a dozen Hamas members lying face down with their hands on their heads as an armed officer stands over them.
Armed Magev and Shin Bet operatives arrested 52 Hamas members in Barta’a this evening
Hamas terrorists were seen lying face down with their hands on their heads during the raid
The terrorists were blindfolded and taken from Barta’a by armed police
The men were put on a bus and taken to a Shin Bet-run location for questioning
The group of men are then immobilized and blindfolded, and made to kneel in another room to wait.
We then see the terrorists marching through the streets of Barta’a before being taken onto a bus.
The terrorists were taken to a Shin Bet-run location for “further investigation” after being arrested and accused of not having the proper permits to stay in Israel.
The information that led to the major operation came from the Shin Bet security service.
The arrests come after Hamas released disturbing new hostage videos of a 13-year-old boy and an older woman who were kidnapped when their kibbutz was stormed on October 7.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group has now shared the first ‘sign of life’ videos from each of the prisoners.
The hostages look thin and exhausted as they talk to the camera, Hannah from what appears to be a wheelchair.
Officers stormed a building in Barta’a, which straddles the border between Israel and the West Bank
The terrorists were marched through the streets of Barta’a
They were handcuffed with zip ties and blindfolded before being made to kneel
Armed officers attacked several locations in the small border town
Both sharply criticize Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and blame him for the ongoing situation. It’s not clear if they’re reading from a script.
The PIJ – which is affiliated with but separate from Hamas – shared another video claiming it was willing to release the couple for “humanitarian and medical reasons” but only if “appropriate measures” are met.
Israel has condemned it as psychological warfare and refused to respond to PIJ claims that it will soon release hostages.
“This is a sign of life, and it is important,” Israeli military spokesman Admiral Daniel Hagari said when asked about the videos.
“I will ignore the issue of their release for now… We will be the first to notify the families before anything happens.”