By Arye Green/TPS • 6 August, 2019

Israel’s security forces exposed and thwarted a  Hamas plot to detonate a bomb in Jerusalem, the Shin Bet (Israel’s Security Agency) announced Tuesday.

The Shin Bet and Police forces exposed the operation in Hebron, which included a bomb prepared for use and an explosives manufacturing facility, where the bomb was produced.

In the passing weeks, Israeli forces have uncovered several Hamas squads who were working across Judea and Samaria under instructions of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades based in the Gaza Strip.

The squads planned to carry out attacks on Israeli targets as well as targets related to the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Security forces in June arrested Tamer Rajech Rajbi, one of the cell members. During the investigation, Rajbi divulged the existence and location of a bomb intended for use in a terror attack in Jerusalem.

The three Kilogram bomb, which included added shrapnel for increased killing power, was found and Rajbi’s associates, who were involved in the terror operation, were arrested as well.

A Shin Bet source stated that Hamas’ the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades “continues to invest heavily in the terror infrastructure in Judea and Samaria, in order to promote attacks on Israeli territory which are meant to destabilize the region.”

“The Hamas terror organization will stop at nothing, using young men for their schemes while endangering them and their families for the advancement of terrorism. They even take advantage of humanitarian relief. The Israeli security forces will continue to prevent Hamas’ terror efforts before they can hurt Israeli citizens,” he added.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commended the Israeli forces “for the operational-intelligence effort that led to the thwarting of a terrorist attack that Hamas planned to carry out on our territory.”

“Our enemies should know that our long arm will reach whoever tries to attack us,” he underscored.