Freed in Hostage Deal, Hamas Terrorist Directed Samaria Cell From Turkey

The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) said Monday, March 30, 2026, that it had uncovered a Hamas terror network in Judea and Samaria directed by a released terrorist now operating from Turkey.

According to the agency, the network was overseen by Mahmoud Radwan, a Hamas member released in the January 2025 hostage-prisoner deal and deported to Turkey after serving a prison sentence in Israel. The case underscores Israeli concerns over terror activity being directed from abroad and the return of released prisoners to operational roles.

Radwan had previously been convicted for his involvement in the 2001 murder of Yossi Alfasi. After his release and deportation in January 2025, he resumed contact with Hamas operatives and began working to advance activity in Judea and Samaria, the Shin Bet said.

Investigators said Radwan met with two residents of the village of Azzun in western Samaria during a visit to Turkey in December 2025. During the meeting, he described his ongoing involvement in Hamas activity in both Turkey and Judea and Samaria and told them he remained in contact with operatives in the area. He also expressed a desire to “die as a martyr” and encouraged the two men to join his efforts.

The suspects, identified in Israeli media as Raif Shalou and Nasser Salim, allegedly agreed and were recruited to assist in building Hamas activity in the region. Authorities did not specify the exact nature of the planned attacks, describing the effort more broadly as terrorist or military activity.

The Shin Bet said the investigation also found that Radwan told one of the recruits that “the activity of deported operatives is monitored by Turkish security services,” a claim presented as part of the agency’s findings.

Indictments against the suspects were filed recently, though officials did not specify the exact date or court. The Shin Bet said it will continue to act “resolutely” against attempts by Hamas and other groups to direct attacks from abroad and establish networks inside Judea and Samaria.

“[We] will continue to act decisively to thwart any attempt by terrorist elements, including Hamas, both abroad and domestically, to promote hostile activity against the State of Israel,” the agency said in a statement.

The case underscores Israel’s ongoing efforts to disrupt Hamas activity both within Judea and Samaria and beyond its borders, as security officials warn of continued attempts to direct operations from overseas.