Israeli police announced today that they have detained the sister of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Sabah Abdel Salam Haniyeh, in southern Israel as part of a “terrorism” investigation led by Israeli security authorities.
“[Sabah] She is suspected of having contacts with Hamas agents and identifying with the organization, while inciting and supporting acts of terrorism in Israel,” a police spokesman told the AFP news agency.
The sister of the Hamas leader, 57 years old and of Israeli nationality, was detained after Israeli forces invaded her home in the city of Tel Sheva, in southern Israel, according to a police statement.
According to the note, which was published by the Israeli media, sufficient evidence was found in the house in Sabah that implicates her in “serious crimes against the security” of Israel.
The woman is expected to appear before the court of first instance in the city of Beersheba, the Times of Israel newspaper also reported.
The Israeli army is at war in Gaza against Hamas, considered by Israel to be a terrorist organization, and one of its leaders, Ismail Haniyeh, is living in Qatar.
The war was triggered by the October 7 attack by Hamas commandos in southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of at least 1,200 people, mainly civilians, according to official Israeli data.
According to Israel, around 250 people were also kidnapped and 130 of them are still hostages, including 34 who died in Gaza.
In response, the Israeli army launched an offensive in the Gaza Strip that left at least 32,700 people dead, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health.
