The agency announced on Sunday that it had arrested 38-year-old Abdullah Daghmah, a resident of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on July 7 over suspicion of his involvement in terror activity against soldiers.
He was taken in for questioning while crossing into Israel through the Erez crossing to donate bone marrow to his brother. Though placed under arrest, Daghmah was permitted to donate the marrow.
“During his interrogation by the Shin Bet in cooperation with the Israel Police, it emerged that Daghmah was involved in a murderous attack that took place on March 26, 2010, on the border fence in the Gaza Strip, near the settlements of Nirim and Ein Hashlosha,” the Shin Bet said Sunday.
Peretz, the son of Miriam Peretz, and Sviatkovsky were killed during an attack after their force, from the Golani’s 12th Battalion, was rushed to the fence after several men were spotted placing explosive devices. They were attacked with mortar shells and gunfire after reaching the spot. During the gunfight, a grenade in Peretz’s vest was hit by a bullet and exploded. Four Palestinians were also killed.
According to the Shin Bet, Daghmah confessed that the attack had been planned by Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades as early as September 2008. It was carried out in March 2010 and Palestinian Islamic Jihad took responsibility for it.
The investigation found that Daghmah, who was active in the Martyrs Brigades since 2002, along with another member, Adnan Abu Hani, agreed to a request by the organization to carry out terror attacks against Israeli targets and recruit additional members.
The two then recruited Bassam Abu Daghmah into the cell to help them, and Daghmah served as Abu Daghmah’s commander.
The Shin Bet said that as part of the preparations for the attack, members of the cell found a “suitable location for the attack near the perimeter fence,” near lands owned by Abu Daghmah and put together a plan to lay explosives against IDF forces operating in the area. They also recruited additional members into the cell.
Their plan was approved by their handlers in the Martyrs Brigade. While the organization was supposed to provide them with an IED, they did not give the cell a functioning device.
The cell later turned to PIJ, which gave them the explosive device as well as guns and support from other operatives in the group.
According to the Shin Bet, Daghmah ordered Abu Daghmah, who was killed several months later on August 16, 2010, during another attempt to plant explosive devices targeting IDF troops along the border fence, to plant the bomb that let to the deadly firefight.
According to the Shin Bet, in addition to Abu Daghmah’s involvement in the deadly attack, he also served as a commanding officer in the organization until the time of his arrest.
An indictment was filed against him in the Beersheba District Court on Sunday on charges of committing offenses, such as the murder of IDF soldiers, membership in a terror organization and managing a terror organization.
“The Shin Bet will continue to work tirelessly to maintain the security of Israeli citizens against terror and to bring to justice those involved in terrorist activities, even many years after the attack,” the Shin Bet said.
Peretz lost a brother, Uriel, in Lebanon in 1998. Their mother, Miriam Peretz, lit a torch during the Independence Day ceremony in 2014 and later received the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement and Special Contribution to Society in 2018 for her work .
Following the announcement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country will not stop looking for those responsible for deadly attacks, even years later.
“All those who seek evil know that even if years pass, the State of Israel will not give up until we come to terms with the terrorists,” he said.