Hamas unveils info of suspects behind bombing PM's convoy in Gaza

GAZA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Hamas-run interior ministry in Gaza accused on Saturday senior Palestinian security officials of being behind blowing up the convoy of Rami Hamdallah, Prime Minister of the Palestinian consensus government, in northern Gaza Strip on March 13.

Iyad al-Bozzom, spokesman of Hamas-run Ministry of Interior, told a news conference held in Gaza that senior figures in the Palestinian General Intelligence Service in Ramallah "activated subversive cells to undermine security stability in Gaza."

"Those who carried out the assassination attempt of Abu Naim in central Gaza in October 2017 were the same people who blew up a bomb when the convoy of Hamdallah drove in northern Gaza Strip on March 13," said al-Bozzom.

The spokesman unveiled the name of the perpetrator, saying his name is Abu Hamza al-Ansari, or Ahmad Sawafta, from the West Bank, who was receiving direct instructions from senior security intelligence service officers based in Ramallah.

"Our investigations unveiled that the cell was planning to target international figures visiting the Gaza Strip, as well as targeting the Egyptian security delegation and prominent Hamas leaders," al-Bozzom added.

An explosion occurred when Hamdallah's convoy accompanied by Palestinian intelligence chief Majid Faraj entered the Gaza Strip through Erez checkpoint on March 13, causing minor injuries to a number of bodyguards.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accused Hamas of being responsible for the bombing, while the movement, which has been controlling the Gaza Strip since 2007, rejected Abbas' accusations. Enditem