Hamas is emerging as a growing threat abroad, especially when compared to the past, a source from the Israeli National Security Council (NSC) told The Jerusalem Post.
These remarks come after the NSC issued travel warnings for Israelis abroad on Tuesday, ahead of the spring holidays and summer vacations.
The report revealed that Hamas is intensifying its efforts to carry out attacks abroad, there has been an increase in anti-Semitic incidents globally, and Iran remains a central sponsor of terrorism. Additionally, the NSC emphasized that the travel warning for Sinai is still at the highest level.
The report also noted that following the fighting in Gaza, Hamas has stepped up its efforts for attacks abroad, and the NSC estimates that these attempts will only increase. Since the beginning of the war, Hamas infrastructure has been uncovered in countries such as Denmark, Germany, Bulgaria, and Sweden, where it planned to target Israeli interests.
“With all due respect, Hamas abroad is still not Iran, but it is certainly significant,” a source from the NSC told the Post. “In the past, it had intentions and desires to act abroad, and in the last year, it has expanded its activities there.”
Hamas’s activities abroad
According to the source, the reason Hamas has become more dominant abroad is due to difficulties it faces in other arenas, including Gaza and the West Bank. “At any given moment, we see Hamas’s activities abroad – and like any actor operating overseas, it is seeking opportunities and countries, sometimes depending on intelligence and operatives.”
The NSC urges Israelis to act with caution and responsibility when traveling abroad, recommending that they check travel warnings before their trips and follow security guidelines.
