GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The repercussions of the botched Israeli intelligence operation in the east of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza on Nov. 13, 2018, continue to surface. Hamas-affiliated security forces in the Gaza Strip seized Feb. 16 electronic tracking chips hidden in military boots entering Gaza through the Kerem Abu Salem trade crossing.
Palestinian security forces in Gaza believe Israel was behind the attempt to smuggle electronic tracking chips into the Gaza Strip, based on the confessions of a suspect involved in providing logistics support to Israel.
The suspect, identified only by his initials M. Sh. was arrested by Hamas’ security forces following the botched Khan Yunis operation. In his confessions made public Feb. 11, M. Sh. said that on Oct. 2, 2018, an officer in the Israeli intelligence asked him to head to the Kerem Abu Salem crossing and receive two GPS systems that were inside the merchandise containers entering the Gaza Strip from Israel.
He claimed that a Palestinian Authority (PA) employee at the crossing facilitated the entry and exit without making any inspections.
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