Interior Ministry in Gaza uncovers "most dangerous network of collaborators"

24 October 2007

Bethlehem – Ma'an – The Legitimate Interior Ministry in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday announced the discovery of what they described as "the most dangerous network of collaborators in the Gaza Strip."

The cell had allegedly been involved in the abduction of a leader of Hamas' Executive Force in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, Muhawish Al-Qadi, two months ago. Al-Qadi was taken into Israeli detention.

The collaborating group also monitored the activity of the captors of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Sources from within the Interior Ministry reported that the cell comprises of four collaborators from the Gaza Strip, all of whom have been taken into custody.

The ministry said that the collaborators were all recruited in the West Bank and then sent to the strip after the abduction of Shalit. They were ordered to collect information about the location of Shalit's detention and his abductors.

The Interior Ministry revealed details of Al-Qadi's kidnap. A group of collaborators, comprising of four people, met with an undercover Israeli unit, said the ministry. One of the collaborators held and watched Al-Qadi, one besieged him and the other two assisted the Israeli unit.

Al-Qadi was abducted in September; he was allegedly involved in the kidnapping of Shalit.