Israel says August Tel Aviv suicide attack planned by Hamas office in Turkey

Eight Palestinians were charged on Tuesday for their involvement in the planning and carrying out of a suicide attack in Tel Aviv in August, allegedly perpetrated under instructions from Hamas' office in Turkey. In addition, a resident of the east Jerusalem Beit Hanina neighborhood suspected of transporting the suicide bomber from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv was also charged. 

A joint statement issued by the Shin Bet and Israel Police Tuesday said that they arrested and charged eight people accused of organizing the attack, as well as another person accused of transporting the suicide bomber, without detailing when the arrests were made. The statement also said that the investigation revealed a Hamas regrouping spot in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, with two explosive devices discovered at the site. 

The Shin Bet and Israel Police identified the perpetrator of the Aug. 18 attack as Jaafar Muna, also from Nablus. Muna had arrived in the Hatikva neighborhood of southern Tel Aviv carrying an explosive device in his backpack. A passerby was injured by the explosion, and Muna was also killed. It is still unclear whether Muna blew up the explosive device or it exploded earlier than planned. A police investigation at the time revealed that the device was composed of almost 10 kilos of explosive material, with nails to amplify the damage.

According to the statement, some of the operatives arrested and charged were in contact with Abada Bilal, a senior official stationed at Hamas headquarters in Turkey who directed the operation. One of the operatives also traveled several times to Turkey to receive funding and training from Hamas in building explosive devices.