The Israeli intelligence service Mossad announced on Wednesday that it had exposed a network of Hamas-linked infrastructure throughout Europe. The discovery followed a lengthy investigation conducted in cooperation with European intelligence services and law enforcement agencies to prevent planned attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets.
According to Mossad, coordinated raids in Austria and Germany led to arrests and the seizure of weapons and explosives intended for use “on command.”Mossad stated that as early as September, it had assisted European authorities in identifying Mahmoud Naim – the son of senior Hamas official Basem Naim, who himself is a senior advisor to Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya – as the organizer of the entire plot. According to Mossad, Naim met with his father in Qatar to facilitate the execution of the conspiracy, indicating that Hamas sponsors terrorist schemes at the highest levels.
Hamas officials in Turkey were also involved.
Mossad has thwarted “dozens” of Hamas terrorist operations
Since the Hamas massacre on October 7, the terrorist organization has accelerated efforts to build cells and logistics in Europe, mirroring the activities of Iran and its proxies. Mossad stated that, as part of Israel’s mandate to combat terrorism abroad, it continues to regularly prevent “dozens” of various attacks worldwide. It attributed the recent breakthroughs to “close and persistent cooperation” with European services and added that efforts are ongoing. “The Mossad, together with its partners in Israel and around the world, is working tirelessly to prevent attacks on Israeli, Jewish, and other innocent civilians worldwide,” the statement said, as reported by The Jerusalem Post.
Recent arrests of Hamas members across Europe
In September, Austria’s civilian security agency in Vienna – the Directorate for State Protection and Intelligence – uncovered and seized a weapons cache containing pistols and explosive materials, leading to the detention and interrogation of suspects linked to the Hamas network. Local media later reported in detail about the discovery of a Hamas-linked warehouse in the city and a related arrest in London.
European partners have expanded cooperation with Israeli services while simultaneously tightening legal measures against networks involved in incitement and financing linked to Hamas, Mossad said. In Germany, recent prosecutions and raids have targeted alleged Hamas operatives and supporters, reflecting a broader shift toward curbing extremist infrastructure across the continent. In separate operations last November, German authorities arrested several suspects on suspicion of acting on behalf of the terrorist organization by supplying weapons; police reported findings that included assault rifles, pistols, and ammunition.Additional arrests followed this month as well, with investigators claiming that a Hamas-linked agent had assisted in procuring weapons for planned attacks in Europe, The Jerusalem Post further reported.
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