Hamas: PA gave Israel nearly a third of its Gaza targets

Islamist terror group’s Salah Bardawil says technology used by apprehended collaborators in Gaza resembles Israeli equipment

Netanyahu warns against progress on Iran’s terms to nuclear dealKerry to hold talks with Iran foreign minister SaturdayJittery Paris puts brakes on flicksJordan launches fresh airstrikes on Islamic StateGaza terror groups condemn Egypt for anti-Hamas stanceRouhani slams ‘criminal’ Israel, says Iran doesn’t need nukesPM phones Jordan’s Abdullah to condemn pilot’s murderIn first, Palestinian-Israeli soccer cooperationObama invokes Crusades, Inquisition in condemning IS21 dead in Damascus as Syrian forces, rebels trade salvos
Palestinian intelligence agencies loyal to PA President Mahmoud Abbas advised Israel on nearly 30 percent of the targets in Gaza that were attacked during Operation Protective Edge, a Hamas official claimed on Thursday.

Hamas official Salah Bardawil told his movement’s daily Al-Resalah that information provided by the General Intelligence Agency to Israel regarding Hamas and Islamic Jihad sites in the Khaza’ah and central regions of the Gaza Strip led to the death of hundreds of Palestinians in airstrikes over the summer, including many women and children.
“According to confessions of those involved with the General Intelligence Agency, the agency assisted the occupation [Israel] in creating some 29% of the target bank during the last war,” Bardawil was quoted as saying.

He added that 82% of the targets reported to Israel were in fact hit by the IDF.

Hamas has long criticized the Palestinian Authority and its security agencies for cooperating with Israel, but has never detailed the extent of cooperation and the damage caused to it as a result.

Earlier this week, Bardawil said his movement had documented proof of the General Intelligence’s involvement with Israel obtained by captured agents, adding that “documents, photos and coordinates were handed over to the Zionist enemy.”

In the interview with Al-Resalah, he noted that the Israeli targets included Palestinian institutions, mosques and homes of Hamas members.

Feras Abu Inil, 13, walks past an apartment block in the northern Gaza strip that was all but destroyed in four weeks of clashes between Israel and Hamas, Wednesday, August 13, 2014. (photo credit: Roberto Schmidt/AFP)
Feras Abu Inil, 13, walks past an apartment block in the northern Gaza strip that was all but destroyed in four weeks of clashes between Israel and Hamas, Wednesday, August 13, 2014. (photo credit: Roberto Schmidt/AFP)

“The technology used by these agents of the General Intelligence Agency to send information to the occupation is very advanced, and closely resembles the technology used by the occupation,” Bardawil said. “This indicates the level of coordination between the two sides.”

The Palestinian Authority did not respond publicly to Hamas’s accusations. Muhammad Al-Madani, a Fatah official responsible for coordination between the Palestinian Authority presidency and Israeli society, declined to comment on the matter, telling The Times of Israel only that “the [PA] authorities have preferred not to answer this.”

Hamas and Fatah agreed on the formation of unity government composed of technocrats last June, but deep political disagreements between the rival movements have marred its activity from the start. Israel exposed a Hamas plot last year to oust Abbas.

Hamas claimed that over 2,000 Gazans were killed in the summer’s conflict with Israel, and that most were civilians. Israel said about half were Hamas and other gunmen, and blamed Hamas for all civilian fatalities since it emplaced its rocket launchers and other elements of its war machine in residential areas.