Israel accuses Hamas of sponsoring 'Lion's Den' group
The loosely organized Lions' Den group says Israel is trying to discredit it through association with Hamas.
RAMALLAH, West Bank — The Palestinian Lion’s Den group in the West Bank city of Nablus has become a source of concern for Israel.
The group claims credit for daily armed attacks against Israeli forces. Most recently on Oct. 16, it reported that its members threw a hand grenade at Israeli soldiers near Nablus, causing several injuries. The Israel Defense Forces acknowledged the incident but said no injuries were sustained.
On Oct. 11, the group also claimed responsibility for killing an Israeli soldier in a shooting attack near Nablus. Since then, the Israeli army has been blockading the city with military checkpoints and earth mounds.
Israeli security services have accused Hamas in Turkey of sponsoring the Lion’s Den with money and armament. They claim that Saleh al-Arouri, the deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, is supervising the group’s activities. In a series of posts on its Telegram channel, the Lion’s Den denied these allegations and affirmed that its members are involved with various other groups.
