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Hamas leader Israel Haniyyeh represents the terrorist organization on the political and diplomatic level
Photo: Vahid Salemi / AP
Israeli police say they have arrested the relative of a senior member of the Islamist Hamas for suspected security violations. According to Israeli media reports, she is a sister of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyyeh, who lives in Qatar.
Ismail Haniyyeh, head of government of the Palestinian Autonomous Territories from March 2006 to June 2007, has been officially head of Hamas since 2017. He represents the organization on the political and diplomatic level and is considered comparatively pragmatic.
The 57-year-old, who was arrested in Tel Sheva in southern Israel, is suspected of "having maintained contact with Hamas activists," the police said in a statement. She identifies with a terrorist organization and is accused of inciting and supporting terrorist attacks in Israel.
"During the raid on her house, the security forces found documents, media devices, telephones and other findings and evidence that linked her to serious security violations against the State of Israel," it said. She should be brought before the judge on Monday.
Israeli media had reported in the past that three of Haniyyeh's sisters married Bedouins in southern Israel and became Israeli citizens.
Hamas terrorists attacked Israel on October 7th, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping around 250 hostages. Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, which killed more than 30,000 people.
muk/dpa