Investigation of Former Hamas Operative Reveals Valuable Intelligence

Az Aladdin Hussein, a 24-year-old resident of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, was arrested June 28 after crossing into Israel by swimming through the maritime border.

The investigation of Hussein, a former Hamas operative, revealed that he acted independently when he crossed the border, as a result of family disputes and persecution by Hamas members, according to the Shin Bet on Thursday.

Hussein’s investigation led the Shin Bet to acquire valuable information regarding Hamas’s activity, training program and mentality.

In 2013, Hussein was drafted to Hamas’s military wing and served from 2018 until his arrest by the Shin Bet as commander of one of Hamas’s Air Defense surface-to-air missile units.

As part of his role, Hussein kept one of the missiles at home and was instructed to fire it at any IDF helicopter that landed in the vicinity of his house, in order to kill or kidnap IDF soldiers.

As part of his training, Hussein was taught about IAF vessels, anti-aircraft equipment and observation methods, in order to survey IAF activity on the border and in the skies over Gaza.