Amal Ahmed, a 52-year-old from Jabalya, accompanied her son, who was treated for cancer in Jerusalem. She was asked to transfer money and other items to terrorists in the West Bank, for the purpose of promoting attacks against Israel. In a similar incident, a grandmother and granddaughter who entered Israel for medical treatment were used for money transfers from terrorists in the Gaza Strip to their counterparts in Israel and the West Bank.
A third such case was exposed when Laila Hamouda, a 61-year-old from Jabalya, transferred money intended for Hamas terrorist activity in Samaria. Hamouda had been issued an entry permit to Israel for liver cancer treatment.
Back in April 2017, an attempted smuggling of explosives concealed in medical equipment was thwarted at Erez Crossing. The would-be smugglers were Ibtisam Moussa, a 59-year-old from Khan Yunis, and her sister Basma Atallah, a 55-year-old from Gaza. The sisters were on their way to Israel for Atallah's colon cancer treatment. An indictment on charges of violating the counterterrorism law has been filed.
These cases illustrate how Hamas takes advantage of the distress of Gaza Strip residents, including not only merchants, but also the sick and the elderly. These people are exploited as couriers for promotion of terrorist activity in Israel and the West Bank, and medical equipment is sometimes used as cover. Thus Hamas takes advantage of humanitarian easements offered by Israel.
The Israeli security forces will continue using all available means to disrupt plans by Gaza-based terrorists to execute terrorist activity in Israel and the West Bank.
Illegal use of entry permits for U.S. visa applications:
In May 2017, Imad Ibrahim Salim Ayad from Beit Lahiya, Gaza Strip was detained. He had previously requested an entry permit to Israel, claiming that he needed it to apply for a visa at the U.S. Embassy. Ayad actually used the entry permit to remain in Israel illegally and search for work.
During questioning, Ayad confessed that he never went to the U.S. Embassy in Israel. Instead, after entering Israel using his permit, he traveled directly to Ramallah to search for work, staying there illegally and violating the conditions of his entry permit.
Ayad stated that many Palestinians from the Gaza Strip exploited the possibility of applying for a U.S. visa to enter Israel and stay here illegally.
This is another example of misuse of entry permits that are issued by Israel to Gazans based on humanitarian considerations.