Israeli intelligence (Mossad), in close collaboration with security forces from several European countries, managed to prevent several attacks planned by Hamas against Jewish and Israeli targets on the continent
Weapons were seized, suspects were arrested, and terrorist networks were dismantled, as announced by the Israeli government last Wednesday.
According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s office on behalf of Mossad, the terrorist cells were positioned and awaiting only the “order of the day” to act.
One of the most concrete cases occurred in September, when Austrian police found an arms depot in Vienna containing pistols, silencers, and explosives.
The material was linked to Muhammad Naim, son of Bassem Naim, one of the main members of Hamas’s political bureau and a close associate of the group’s chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya.
Investigations revealed that members of the Naim family met in Qatar precisely that month.
For Mossad, the timing of this meeting indicates that Hamas’s top leadership may be directly involved in encouraging and authorizing terrorist actions in Europe – despite the group’s public denials.
The statement even suggests that these denials may conceal a loss of control over more radical and independent operators.
The Prime Minister”s Office on behalf of Mossad:
? Amit Segal (@AmitSegal) November 19, 2025
“The Hamas Octopus? – a wave of exposures of terrorist infrastructures that Hamas leadership is building in the heart of Europe.
A determined effort to thwart attacks around the world: close cooperation between the Mossad and? pic.twitter.com/k9CyPXEZHv
?The Hamas Octopus? – a wave of exposures of terrorist infrastructures that Hamas leadership is building in the heart of Europe.
A determined effort to thwart attacks around the world: close cooperation between the Mossad and European intelligence and law-enforcement services has led to the seizure of weapons caches and the arrests of terrorist operatives on the continent.
Following an extended investigation led by the Mossad, and thanks to cooperation with European intelligence and law-enforcement services, terrorist infrastructures built by Hamas for the purpose of carrying out attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets were recently thwarted.
Law-enforcement authorities in Europe – including in Germany and Austria – carried out a series of complex counter-terrorism operations that resulted in the arrest of terrorist operatives and the exposure of weapons stockpiles intended to be used by terror cells to harm innocent civilians ?on command day.?
In a special operation by the Austrian security and intelligence service in Vienna this past September, a weapons hideout was uncovered and seized, containing pistols and explosive devices. During the interrogation of those involved, it was discovered that the items hidden in the exposed cache belonged to a Hamas operative, Muhammad Naim, the son of senior Hamas political bureau official in Gaza, Basem Naim, who is close to Khalil al-Hayya, the Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip.
The involvement of the organization’s leadership in Qatar in promoting terrorist activity is not being revealed for the first time, even though senior figures repeatedly deny it publicly as part of their efforts to protect Hamas’s image in the eyes of international public opinion.
As part of the investigation that exposed Muhammad Naim’s responsibility for building the terrorist infrastructure in Vienna, additional information emerged about a meeting held in Qatar between him and his father, Basem Naim, a senior Hamas leader, in September of this year.
The timing of the meeting between the two indicates possible involvement of Hamas leadership in advancing terrorism in Europe, granting authority and approval to operatives to promote attacks. The leadership’s sweeping denials on the matter may indicate a loss of control over rogue operatives.
The investigation of Hamas’s terror network in Europe is currently examining possible involvement of Hamas elements in Turkey in promoting attack plans, some of which have already been exposed. This is due to Turkey’s status as a convenient arena for Hamas operatives, both in the past and present.
As part of the investigation by European security and law-enforcement agencies, a prominent operative in the network, Burhan al-Khatib, was arrested in Germany last November after having stayed in Turkey, apparently following the completion of his operational activity on European soil.
The partnership of European security and law-enforcement authorities in the global campaign against the terrorist threat posed by Hamas reflects a growing international understanding of the intensifying danger and their determination to thwart any Hamas terrorist activity on their soil. Additionally, Europe’s law-enforcement struggle is expanding into the legal-political sphere against Hamas’s incitement and radicalization activities – carried out through organizations and religious institutions used by Hamas for fundraising and recruiting operatives, as has recently occurred in Germany.
The Mossad, together with its partners in the Israeli and international intelligence and security community, is leading extensive efforts to thwart terrorism targeting Israeli, Jewish, and innocent civilian targets worldwide. Since the October 7 massacre, the Hamas terrorist organization has been redoubling its efforts to build infrastructures and recruit terror cells in Europe and other arenas, similar to the Iranian regime and its proxies. Even now, the Mossad continues its determined work to thwart dozens of attack plots worldwide, as part of its responsibility for counter-terrorism abroad and its commitment to Israel’s security and defense.
Turkey is also on the radar of the investigations.
Mossad claims that Hamas figures based in the country may be helping to plan attacks, taking advantage of the fact that Turkey has served for years as a comfortable environment for the Palestinian group’s activities.
In November, German authorities arrested Barhan al-Khatib, a key Hamas network operator in Europe, shortly after his return from Turkey – apparently after completing missions on the continent.
Since the attacks of October 7, 2023, Hamas has intensified its efforts to build a terrorist infrastructure in Europe, following a model similar to that of Iranian-backed militias.
Currently, Mossad says it is working to neutralize dozens of planned attacks in various parts of the world.
In parallel, European security services – especially in Germany and Austria – have been closing in on Hamas’s fundraising and recruitment operations, often disguised within mosques, cultural associations, and religious institutions.
With these joint actions, Israel and its European partners have managed, in recent months, to prevent a wave of attacks that could have caused casualties in synagogues, Jewish community centers, and other Israeli facilities in Europe.
Published in 11/20/2025 15h50
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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