Birzeit University in the West Bank. Photo: Hanna Kreitem via Wikimedia Commons.

i24 News – Israeli security forces busted a terrorist cell at the Birzeit University in the West Bank, arresting eight suspects who planned to carry out a terrorist attack in the immediate time frame, according to an official statement on Sunday.

במהלך הפעילות איתרו הכוחות חומרי הסתה, בהם דגלי חמאס, ואמצעים טכנולוגיים.

זו דוגמה נוספת לשימוש שעושה ארגון הטרור חמאס במוסדות לגיטימיים על מנת לקדם פעילות טרור ולשמש מקלט למבצעיה>> pic.twitter.com/GB6KARgdEf

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) September 24, 2023

Over the last few months, Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet agency conducted intelligence and investigative efforts in order to thwart the activities of terrorist cells that consist of university students who operate in the Hamas terrorist organization cells, known as “the Kutla Islamia.”

During the operation, a number of terrorist cells operating in the Birzeit university near Ramallah have been apprehended for investigation. It emerged during interrogation that those operatives have been recruited by the Hamas terror group, and received guns and ammunition intended for carrying out terrorist attacks against Israeli targets.

Early on Sunday, the forces apprehended eight wanted suspects who were hiding in the Birzeit university campus. According to the information known to the security forces, the wanted suspects were set to carry out terrorist attacks in the immediate time frame. An additional wanted suspect was apprehended in the area of the town.

The suspects were in possession of Hamas flags and other inciting materials.