Israel uncover alleged Hamas militant cell, 25 Palestinians arrested

Twenty-five Palestinians were arrested by Israeli authorities recently, suspected of forming a terrorist cell aiming to carry out suicide bombing attacks against Israelis, the Shin Bet Security Agency announced on Wednesday.

The cell included Palestinians from the West Bank, east Jerusalem and one Bedouin Arab from the southern Israeli village of Hura, who were guided and financed by Hamas operatives in the Gaza Strip, the Shin Bet said.

The Shin Bet said it had captured the suspects, and discovered an explosives lab in the Palestinian town of Abu Dis, east of Jerusalem, in a joint operation with the Israeli military and police, adding the suspects tried to form a "military infrastructure" in order to orchestrate attacks against Israelis.

The cell is evidence to "an increased effort to exploit the escalation of violence in the West Bank to promote bombings and suicide bombings against targets in Israel and the West Bank," the Shin Bet said.

The agency added that Hamas' military wing is in charge of these efforts to carry out attacks, which "would have resulted in many casualties and cause a significant escalation in the security situation," the Shin Bet added.

The Israeli authorities' announcement of the suspected militant cell came amid an ongoing wave of violence, which started in October, and claimed the lives of 19 Israelis, and more than 120 Palestinians.

The Israeli victims died in lone-wolf stabbing, shooting and vehicular attacks by Palestinians. Some of the Palestinian victims died during clashes with Israeli security forces, while others were gunned down by Israeli security forces and vigilante citizens while allegedly trying to carry out attacks. Endit