The Shin Bet security agency has announced that a recent attempt by Hamas to execute a suicide bombing attack in Israel, directed by members of the group in Turkey, was successfully thwarted.

On March 15, Anas Shurman, a Palestinian originally from Tulkarem in Judea & Samaria, but residing in Jordan, was detained in Nablus (Shechem) for his suspected involvement in the bombing plot, according to the Shin Bet.

His interrogation revealed that in December 2023, he was recruited by Imad Abid, a Hamas terrorist based in Turkey, who is also originally from Judea & Samaria.

Shurman agreed to carry out a suicide bombing in Israel, and preparations for the attack included filming a last will, undergoing motorcycle lessons for use in the attack, and receiving funds and instructions on where to collect the explosive device in Judea & Samaria.

The Shin Bet seized a large fragmentation bomb, weighing approximately 12 kilograms, from a spring in Judea & Samaria, along with written instructions on how to carry out the attack.

Additional Hamas terrorists involved in the plot were detained, with the Shin Bet stating they were part of a terror network in Nablus (Shechem) responsible for manufacturing and hiding the bomb for Shurman.

Shurman was charged with several severe security offenses, including “attempting to intentionally cause death” — equivalent to attempted murder under military law — and being a member of a terror group. Five more residents of Nablus (Shechem) faced similar charges.

The Shin Bet’s investigation highlights the establishment of Hamas in Turkey and its role in directing terror attacks in Israel.