Israel confirms capturing Hamas internal security chief in Gaza City raid

“Special forces” of the Shin Bet captured the commander of Hamas’s internal security apparatus in a “bold operation” in Gaza City on Tuesday morning, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the military, and the domestic security agency.

Arabic-language media claimed earlier in the day that an Israeli-backed anti-Hamas militia carried out a raid during which the Hamas security chief, Muein al-Arabid, was captured.

But in a statement later Tuesday, Netanyahu said he commended “the Shin Bet and the IDF, who in a bold operation arrested today the head of building Hamas’s internal security apparatus near his home in Gaza.”

In a separate statement, the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet said the raid was carried out by “special forces” of the security agency.

The IDF and Shin Bet said the special forces raided a building in Gaza City and captured the Hamas security chief.

During the raid, the Israeli Air Force carried out strikes on several “military targets in the area to remove threats to the forces.” No Israeli forces were injured in the operation, the joint statement said.

The security chief had recently been working to “consolidate the Hamas terror organization’s control over the northern Gaza Strip” and to advance attacks on IDF troops deployed in the Strip, according to the military.

Netanyahu said the captured officer is “one of Hamas’s most senior leaders, was responsible for hiding and moving our hostages, hiding senior Hamas officials, force build-up, and attempting to restore the capabilities of the terror organization.”

“Recently, he was engaged in efforts to restore Hamas’s governance in Gaza, in deception regarding the issue of demilitarizing the Strip, and assisted in carrying out terror attacks against our forces and our civilians,” he said.

The IDF added that the operation was intended to “remove threats and undermine Hamas’s control in the area and its plans to advance terrorist activities against IDF troops and Israeli civilians.”

Netanyahu, in his statement, added that Israel “will continue to pursue all Hamas leaders and everyone who took part in the October 7 massacre.”

Footage published by Al Jazeera showed moments from the raid. The footage showed a van arriving at the scene, apparently while the incident was already underway, with gunfire heard coming from forces inside the vehicle. Shortly beforehand, a man was seen crawling nearby and attempting to hide, apparently al-Arabid.

مشاهد خاصة للجزيرة توثق إصابة أحد ضباط جهاز الأمن الداخلي في غزة خلال عملية استهدافه واختطافه#الأخبار pic.twitter.com/ImaHsmz8P6

— قناة الجزيرة (@AJArabic) September 1, 2026

Earlier Tuesday, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that a senior Hamas member had been captured, without elaborating on who carried out the raid or providing further details on the target.

Palestinian media claimed that a “special Israeli unit” infiltrated the western part of Gaza City. In an attempt to secure the unit after it was discovered by Hamas operatives, the IDF carried out shelling and airstrikes in the area, the reports claimed, killing at least three and wounding eight.

At times, Palestinian media has referred to Israeli-backed anti-Hamas militias operating in the Strip as “Israeli forces.” In the past, Israel has provided anti-Hamas militias with air support.

Saudi outlet Al-Hadath reported that Israeli-backed Palestinian militias attempted to abduct an unidentified individual in Gaza City, and Qatar’s Al-Araby TV reported that an armed militia tried to target a senior official in Hamas’s internal security apparatus.

Hamas, in a statement, condemned the “criminal operation” carried out by “special forces of the occupation army” in Gaza City.

“This represents a serious crime and a deliberate disregard for the lives of civilians, and is a continuation of the brutal genocide war against our people in the Gaza Strip,” Hamas said, without commenting on the arrest of a senior member of the terror group.

In a separate incident later Tuesday, the IDF said it struck a Hamas commander in northern Gaza’s Jabalia.

Palestinian media reported several injuries in a strike in the Strip’s north.

The military justified the strike amid the ceasefire by saying that the unnamed commander had been advancing attacks on troops and civilians, as well as trying to restore Hamas capabilities, “in systematic violation of the ceasefire.”

The strike was carried out to “remove the threat,” the military added.

An October 2025 US-backed ceasefire halted major fighting in the shattered territory, but it failed to end strikes by the Israeli military, which it says aims to thwart attacks by Hamas and other Gaza terrorists. Gaza remains bisected into Israeli- and Hamas-controlled areas.

Hamas accuses Israel of violating the ceasefire and undermining efforts to implement a broader plan by US President Donald Trump to end the Gaza conflict, which also includes Israeli withdrawals and Hamas disarmament. However, the terror group has refused to completely give up its weapons or disarm at all until Israel withdraws.

More than 1,300 Palestinians have been killed ‌in Gaza ⁠since the ceasefire took effect last October, according to Gazan health officials, while four Israeli soldiers have been killed.

Nurit Yohanan contributed to this report.