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Report: Hamas commander flees Gaza in Israeli boat with ‘classified materials’

Channel 12 reported that a Hamas naval commander fled the coastal enclave with “classified materials” and is suspected of “collaborating” with Israel.

By Ebin Sandler, World Israel News

According to a report from within Gaza cited by Israel’s Channel 12, a senior Hamas commander recently escaped the Strip, absconding with a laptop containing “classified materials.”

The Channel 12 report added that the individual is suspected of collaborating with Israel and referred to him as the second senior Hamas operative suspected of cooperating with Israel in recent days.

The report cited an Arabic news site called Amad, which referred to the escaped Hamas official as the head of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades’ naval commando unit. Amad reported that the commander left the Gaza Strip in an Israeli boat, carrying cash and surveillance technology, in addition to the laptop.

In the wake of this incident, Hamas reportedly embarked on a wave of arrests, snatching up dozens of suspects and seizing $500,000 in cash, in addition to communications equipment. The investigation appears to point to the potential existence of other senior Hamas commanders involved in espionage activities with Israel.

The Channel 12 report also discussed another Hamas operative accused of collaborating with Israel, dubbed “Mahmoud,” who allegedly played a leading role in Hamas’ communications networks and in training terrorists in their use.

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The source quoted in the Amad report claimed “Mahmoud” began his relationship with Israeli operatives over a decade ago, with his role recently exposed due to a botched currency hand-off with his brother, who was detained by the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.

The report from Gaza on Saturday arrives about a week after an article in a Hezbollah-linked newspaper in Lebanon called Al-Ahbar claimed that Hamas had discovered a “plot by Israeli intelligence services” to strike Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.