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Gazans Sent to Smuggle Hamas Cash in Their Shoes Enabled Israel to Learn about New Terror Tunnels
(Jerusalem Post) Yaakov Lappin - The arrest of two Gazans with terrorism-financing cash hidden in their shoes enabled Israel to gain valuable intelligence on the underground network of tunnels Hamas and Islamic Jihad are digging in Gaza, Israeli security forces disclosed on Tuesday. On June 16, Israel arrested Faiz Atar, 65, from Bet Lahia in Gaza, who had a permit to enter Israel to conduct trade. The Israel Security Agency (ISA) said he hid cash in his shoes for Hamas and smuggled tens of thousands of euros to terrorist operatives in the West Bank. During the investigation, Israel gleaned valuable information on Atar's family in Gaza and their activities on behalf of Hamas, including tunnel digging. "The investigation revealed information on tunnel openings, which are partly located underneath civilian structures - including innocent civilian residential buildings and mosques - and rocket launch locations, which are located near civilian structures," ISA said. In a second case, security forces nabbed Gaza resident Itallah Sarahan, 37, at the Erez Crossing in June with 10,000 euros stuffed in his shoes, intended for Hamas operatives in the West Bank. He had received a permit to enter Israel for trade purposes. Sarahan had worked as a truck driver in Gaza, clearing sand from Hamas and Islamic Jihad tunnel digging sites. "Sarahan passed on much information about the tunnels he was exposed to, including...their exact locations."