Israeli security forces published the names of Hamas terrorists who kidnapped three teenagers on June 12.
Israel has published the names of the terrorists who kidnapped three Israeli teens in Judea and Samaria two weeks ago, the IDF blog announced Thursday evening. They are Marwan Kawasme and Amer Abu Aysha, Hamas operatives from Hebron.
“A short time after the kidnapping I said that those who perpetrated this activity were terrorists of Hamas,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated. “And indeed, today, the security services of Israel have published the names of two of the perpetrators of this heinous crime. I now expect President Abbas, who said important things in Saudi Arabia, to stand by those words and to break his pact with the Hamas terrorist organization that kidnaps children and calls for the destruction of Israel.”
Following are details published by the IDF blog:
Less than a day after the kidnapping, the Israel Security Agency (ISA or Shin Bet Security Service) revealed that the terrorist organization carried out the kidnapping of Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar and Naftali Frankel, three teenagers from Judea and Samaria. Since then, Israeli forces have continued an extensive search for the two men, with the chief objective of locating the three boys.
Israeli authorities arrested Kawasme several times for his crimes as a member of the terrorist organization. He was imprisoned for the first time at age 18 and spent ten months in custody until August 2004. After Kawasme’s release, Israel detained him again on four occasions.
In 2010, when security forces last investigated Kawasme, he confessed that Hamas’s military wing had recruited him to operate for the organization in Hebron. In 2009, Kawasme participated in military training, attempted to obtain materials for explosives, and helped the terrorist organization recruit new operatives. In response to these actions, Israel detained Kawasme until March 2012.
Israel first arrested Abu Aysha in November 2005. After investigating the terrorist, Israeli authorities transferred him to administrative detention until June 2006. He was arrested again less than a year later.
In November 2005, Abu Aysha’s brother was killed while attempting to hurl an explosive device at IDF soldiers. Israeli authorities arrested his father several times for a range of terror activities.
Following an extensive operation, Israel is holding several suspects in custody for their direct involvement in the attack.