Israeli citizen arrested for alleged ties to Hamas and Iranian intelligence

The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and the Israel Police have announced the arrest of Sultan Abu al-Hija, a 31-year-old Israeli Arab resident of Tamra, on charges of contacting Hamas and Iranian intelligence operatives. According to a joint statement, the investigation revealed that the suspect had contacted Hamas' Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades in the Gaza Strip multiple times, seeking to assist the organization. Furthermore, the investigation uncovered that Abu al-Hija had established contact with Iranian intelligence agents. Security officials stated that he was arrested before he could carry out any missions on their behalf. A security indictment is scheduled to be filed against him at the Haifa District Court on Friday morning. In their statement, the Shin Bet and Israel Police emphasized that they view any involvement by Israeli citizens in activities endangering national security with extreme severity and will continue to use all legal means to bring those involved to justice.