Hamas Stunned by Israeli Force Impersonating Qassam Operatives

Hamas security officials are reportedly in a state of shock and disbelief following revelations about the Israeli special forces unit that abducted Muin al-Arbeed, a senior official in Hamas's internal security apparatus in Gaza, earlier this month. Sources within Hamas told i24news that investigations revealed the Israeli unit impersonated members of the Qassam Brigades' "Apple and Stairs" battalion, stopping security personnel and identifying themselves as Qassam members on a special mission. The abducted official, Muin al-Arbeed, was reportedly targeted twice previously by Israel and was arrested in a special operation.

Further complicating the situation, Hamas security forces provided assistance, including water and security, to the disguised Israeli operatives in sensitive areas one day before the abduction. The leader of the Israeli unit spoke fluent Arabic, as did the driver.

Hamas was reportedly more astonished to discover that three Palestinians, including a woman, had collaborated with the Israeli operation. Posing as part of an international aid organization, their role was to facilitate the mission, though they claimed to only have been asked to photograph specific targets near the abduction site.

Footage of the abduction, partially broadcast by media outlets like Al Jazeera, was captured by Qassam members who initially mistook the operation for an internal security force action against rival militias, leading to their non-intervention. Investigations are now underway into the security personnel who verified the Israeli operatives' identities during their presence in sensitive zones, highlighting a significant security breach in the vetting process.