On Tuesday morning, Israeli special forces conducted an operation in Gaza, resulting in the abduction of Ma’in al-Arabid, a senior official in the internal security apparatus of Hamas. The operation also led to the death of his wife and two bystanders. The Israeli forces infiltrated a villa in the Katiba area, located west of Gaza City, where al-Arabid resided with his family.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant publicly acknowledged and celebrated the operation. Since the announcement of a ceasefire agreement in October 2025, the Israeli military has relied on armed groups allied with it to capture activists and fighters from Gaza factions, providing them with military support through drones and aircraft.
The Katiba area, known for its upscale residential neighborhoods, experienced a series of explosions and gunfire within a short span of time, indicating the intensity of the operation. Israeli aircraft intervened by targeting two vehicles and dropping small bombs in the vicinity to prevent any attempts to harm the forces involved in the operation before their withdrawal.
The main headquarters of the internal security apparatus in Gaza is located just hundreds of meters from the site of the attack, which targeted deep within Hamas-controlled areas. An imaginary line known as the ‘yellow line’ separates the areas occupied by Israel from those controlled by Hamas and other factions, although armed groups supported by Israel occasionally attack these areas.
Gallant announced the capture of a high-ranking official from Hamas’s internal security. A field source from Hamas, familiar with the details, stated that the operation specifically targeted al-Arabid, who holds a significant position within the internal security apparatus in Gaza. Another source indicated that he is only the director of the apparatus in Gaza City.
Israeli broadcasting authorities confirmed that al-Arabid was injured and transferred for treatment in Israeli hospitals, although they did not specify the severity of his condition. Two field sources in Gaza provided initial details about the operation, with one stating that the Israeli forces had been active in the area for several days prior to executing the operation on Tuesday morning.
The source noted that one of the vehicles destroyed by several missiles belonged to the Israeli forces, suggesting it had been left at the scene and was destroyed during their withdrawal. Another source mentioned that the vehicle destroyed was not among those that arrived at the attack site on the morning of the operation, indicating it had likely been present for at least two days and was apparently used for reconnaissance purposes.
According to sources, the Israeli forces utilized a pickup truck and another vehicle disguised as a vegetable delivery truck. Upon reaching the location, a group of the forces stormed the villa where al-Arabid was present with his family, while another group secured the perimeter.
One source reported that when the forces infiltrated the villa, two of al-Arabid’s sons opened fire at them, prompting the forces to return fire, resulting in the immediate death of his wife. The two sons sustained serious injuries, as did two of the accompanying personnel who engaged with the special forces. Al-Arabid himself sustained injuries of an unspecified nature, and two children were reported killed during the shelling that accompanied the withdrawal and the gunfire outside the house.
Witnesses in the area reported that the Israeli special forces withdrew from the attack site under aerial fire cover, using a vehicle and motorcycles, taking routes by the sea and another unspecified path. The Hamas source indicated that investigations are ongoing, particularly since the area is filled with security cameras that will provide clearer details in the coming hours and days.
A source from Gaza factions revealed that al-Arabid was preparing for his son’s wedding on Tuesday, and that son was seriously injured during the attack. Following the incident, there was initial confusion within Hamas regarding al-Arabid’s fate, with sources claiming that the operation had failed and disseminating misleading information to various media outlets, although they later retracted this after the Israeli announcement.
The government media office stated that the special forces were discovered while carrying out a security mission, prompting Israeli intervention through more than ten different aircraft, which conducted a series of airstrikes that resulted in casualties. They also claimed that several members of the special forces were killed, a claim not confirmed by any Israeli or external sources.
According to the Hamas source, al-Arabid had previously been targeted in a bombing that resulted in minor injuries in June and had survived another assassination attempt during the war. He narrowly escaped arrest in March 2024 when Israeli forces raided the Shifa Medical Complex while he was present with senior officers from the apparatus, managing to flee in the initial moments along with dozens of Gazans before the area was completely surrounded.
Multiple sources from Hamas and Gaza factions indicated that al-Arabid had been responsible for significant security files over the years, including the file on collaborators with Israel and the pursuit of elements loyal to groups like ISIS. He oversaw a series of operations targeting collaborators in Gaza after the discovery of an Israeli special force in 2018 and was involved in monitoring the armed gangs that emerged during the war.
Estimates within Hamas and the factions suggest that Israel aimed to capture al-Arabid alive rather than kill him, as indicated by a source who noted that the forces did not use aircraft for this operation as they typically do with other leaders. They sought to demonstrate complete security control and achieve a significant accomplishment by bringing a Hamas leader to Tel Aviv. The same source highlighted the political gain for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who are preparing for parliamentary elections next month.
Source: arzpress.com
