Palestinian terrorist organizations are planning large-scale terror attacks to coincide with Israel’s independence celebrations next month, the head of the Israeli army’s Intelligence Directorate Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin said.
Israel’s security cabinet is convening on Wednesday to discuss terror alerts for attacks planned for the country’s 60th independence celebrations.
Hamas plans to breach crossings, perhaps by use of car bombs, since crossings are symbolic of the siege on Gaza, Yadlin said, according to Israel Radio.
He said terrorists were also planning on harming Israelis by digging tunnels through Gaza, deploying snipers along Gaza’s borders and abducting Israeli soldiers.
Senior Hamas member Mahmoud A-Zahhar said on Tuesday Hamas had 200,000 suicide bombers waiting to attack Israel.
Israel celebrates its 60th Independence Day on May 8, but festivities and events
marking the round number will be taking place throughout the year.
Independence Day is a sore spot for Palestinians, many of whom fled or were expelled from their homes in 1948 during the war between Israel and its Arab neighbors. The events of 1948 instigated the refugee problem that still prevails, and are dubbed by Palestinians A-Nakba, or catastrophe.
Hamas has warned it will avenge the deaths of a Palestinian woman and her four children killed in an explosion on Monday during clashes in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he regretted the deaths, but stressed the incident was still being investigated. He blamed Hamas for operating from residential areas and making civilians part of the war.
A military commission is investigating the incident.