The Hamas government on Thursday warned Israel against harming its interior
minister, Fathi Hammad.
The warning came in response to a Shin Bet
(Israel Security Agency) report that said that Hammad had been involved in
plotting attacks against Israel.
The report, which was published
Wednesday, revealed that Hammad had appointed a number of close aides affiliated
with Hamas and the Defenders of al-Aksa group to smuggle explosives into the
West Bank.
The attempts were foiled by the Shin Bet, the report
said.
The Shin Bet report was based on information from interrogations of
Hamas terror suspects who were arrested in the Ramallah area in recent
weeks.
Taher a-Nunu, spokesman for the Hamas government, accused Israel
of “inciting” against Hammad. He said the charges “carry serious
indications.”
The spokesman warned Israel against harming or targeting
Hammad, who is in charge of Hamas’s security apparatus in the Gaza
Strip.
Hamas also claimed on Thursday that the allegations against Hammad
were linked to its ongoing crackdown on Palestinians suspected of
“collaboration” with Israel.
Hammad was appointed interior minister after
Israel killed his predecessor, Said Siam, during the 2008-9 Operation Cast Lead.