Security forces say they busted Hamas cell in West Bank planning terror attacks

Ten members of a Hamas cell in the West Bank that planned to carry out terror attacks, including a kidnapping, were recently arrested, Israeli security authorities announce.

In a joint statement, the Shin Bet security agency, police, and IDF say that the 10 Hamas members, from the town of Beita near Nablus, had carried out several explosive attacks against troops and had been planning “additional major attacks, including a kidnapping attack against a Jewish resident of the area.”

The statement says Israeli forces captured numerous weapons from the suspects, including an assault rifle and explosives.

During their interrogation, it emerged that the cell was behind several explosive attacks against troops in the West Bank between March and April 2025, which wounded three soldiers, including two seriously, along with several shooting attacks, authorities say.

The Shin Bet, police, and military say that the Hamas members “were preparing to carry out additional significant mass-casualty attacks, including plans to execute a kidnapping attack.”

For this purpose, one of the cell members dug a six-meter-deep tunnel in his home, which was “intended to hold hostages,” authorities say.

“As part of the planning for the kidnapping attack, the cell members conducted surveillance on a local resident they intended to abduct. However, due to the understanding that they would have difficulty carrying out the attack, it was ultimately not executed,” the statement adds.

Indictments were filed against all 10 members of the cell at the Samaria Military Court. Some were charged with “attempting to intentionally cause death” — the equivalent of attempted murder under military law — and attempted kidnapping.