Terrorism Information - The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center

Financing Terrorism: Currency Exchange in the Service of Hamas

The Hamas movement needs enormous sums of money to finance its terrorist activities. Because Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by many countries, and because the conventional global banking system does not operate in the Gaza Strip and is monitored by security bodies and state and international enforcement agencies, Hamas and the other terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip (and Iran) are forced to look for alternative methods to transfer funds to its coffers. The Hamas leadership, in collaboration with the Iranians, employ several channels to transfer the funds. They rely on traditional money changers, use Offset methods between Palestinian laborers and merchants for money changers, and use digital means such as virtually unregulated cryptocurrencies, which are transferred according to agreement by a mostly confidential network. Read more...

Israeli Security Force Operation in Jenin and the Jenin Refugee Camp Review and Summary

Shortly before 2 a.m. on July 5, 2023, the Israeli security force operation in Jenin and the Jenin refugee camp ended; it had lasted for 48 hours and led to the destruction of about one thousand IEDs, the exposure and destruction of dozens of sites for the manufacture of weapons, underground shafts, and command and operation rooms. In addition, hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of shekels used to fund terrorist activities were seized. An IDF fighter was killed as the forces left the area. Three "revenge attacks" were carried out during the activity: a combined vehicular ramming and stabbing in Tel Aviv, a stabbing in Bnei Brak and a shooting at the settlement of Avnei Hefetz (southeast of Tulkarm). Five rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip at the Israeli communities near the border as the activity wound down. In response to the rocket attack, Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked two Hamas terrorist targets in Gaza. Read more...

Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah, Lebanon and Syria (June 16-29, 2023)

Growing tension on the Israel-Lebanon border Hezbollah refuses to remove the two-tent post it erected on the Israeli side of the Blue Line (the Israel-Lebanon border). Israel warned south Lebanese residents to keep their distance from the border. Hezbollah intercepted an IDF UAV in south Lebanon. According to reports, Hezbollah uses Beirut airport's radar system. Relations between Hezbollah and Hamas in Lebanon's refugee camps are growing stronger.According to a Washington Institute report on Lebanon's financial crisis, Hezbollah profits by exploiting the situation to expand its control over the Lebanese infrastructure, from its banks to its fuel and electricity. Read more...

Declarations of Senior Iranian Officials Concerning the West Bank Point to Intensifying Iranian Effort to Expand Its Influence in this Arena

In recent months, senior commanders of the IRGC have paid increasing attention to the growing tide of “Palestinian resistance” in the West Bank and the challenges facing Israel and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in this arena. Read more...

The military-terrorist wings of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad published books by terrorist activists imprisoned in Israel

At the beginning of January 2023 the Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades issued a book called The Bus Is Burning, apparently written by Hassan Salamehwho is currently serving 46 consecutive life sentences in Israeli prisons. At the end of December 2022 a book about Bassem al-Sa'adi was published. Al-Sa'adi is a high-ranking Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) operative who was detained in Jenin in August 2022, whose detention led to Operation Breaking Dawn. The books were apparently published as part of inculcating the Palestinian public with the shaheed culture Read more...

Israeli Security Force Activity in Jenin and Initial Reactions As of 1 p.m., July 3, 2023

At approximately 1 a.m. on July 3, 2023, Israeli security forces began a military activity in Jenin and the Jenin refugee camp. It started with aerial attacks on terrorist targets, including the joint operations room used by the military-terrorist wings of the Palestinian terrorist organizations in the Jenin refugee camp as a base for terrorist activities and attacks. During the aerial attacks a large ground force entered the city accompanied by engineering vehicles. The Jerusalem Brigades', the military-terrorist wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) declared the Palestinian name for the activity would be "Jenin's great might." They called on Palestinians in all the cities, villages and refugee camps, especially those near Jenin, to clash with the Israeli security forces and support Jenin and its fighters in all the arenas. It is the most extensive activity carried out by Israeli security forces in the Jenin region since Operation Defensive Shield during the second intifada in 2002. As of 1 p.m. the ministry of health in Ramallah reported eight Palestinian fatalities and 50 wounded. Several dozen Palestinians were detained by Israeli security forces on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activity. Read more...

Palestinian Activity in Jenin in Reaction to the IDF Presence in Judea and Samaria

The Jenin refugee campis controlled by military-terrorist wings, led by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad's Jerusalem Brigades, and has become a center for terrorism in Judea and Samaria. Their activities include the recent attempts to shoot at Israeli communities near the border and attempts, so far unsuccessful, to manufacture rockets and launch them into Israeli territory. The refugee camp, with its various resident terrorist organizations, operates as one organism and is almost independent; the Palestinian Authority (PA) has virtually no presence or influence in the camp. The Jenin refugee camp is unique in its militancy and organized offensives against Israeli security force activity. The opposition to the Israeli security forces of the Jenin refugee camp inspires the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria. This report investigates the recent events in the Jenin refugee camp and presents information about the methods used by the terrorist operatives; their intelligence and operations, including the development of operational capabilities and weapons; improvement in the ability of their monitoring units to alert the camp to the entry of IDF forces and their locations; the fast, capable identification of the IDF units and even their ability to identify IDF special forces (such as undercover and intelligence units); monitoring the types of weapons the IDF forces use; etc. Read more...