The Israeli Jerusalem Post (Jpost) online newspaper edition reported that the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) uncovered a cell
composed of Palestinian women operating in the West Bank. The cell,
according to the report, had been uncovered in August and September but the
news was only released for publication on Tuesday.
According to the report, the women are in two cells; one in Kafr Ni'ma, and one in Kafer Ein, in the west Bank.
The Shin Bet believes that the two cells are responsible for several shooting attacks in the Ramallah area, and for setting up an explosives laboratory there.
The Jpost reported that one of the women, Wadha Fakha'a, 34, the head of one of the Islamic Jihad offices in Ramallah, is suspected of channeling funds to one of the cells.
She was taken prisoner on August 3, and told her interrogators, according to the Jpost report, that she received money from the Islamic Jihad headquarters in Syria, and then she transferred the money to two women, who are also from the Islamic Jihad, and acted as couriers.
The two women are identified as Hawwah Hmeidat and Falasteen Zobah, both 21. They were taken prisoner on August 20.
Moreover, Fakha'a was in direct contact with Islamic Jihad operatives from Ramallah who used to channel funds from Syria, according to the report.
Two women were taken prisoner in September and said during the interrogation that they received a commission of 100 US Dollars for all money transfers they helped to perform.
The two were identified as Effat Khalifa, 21, and Zahiyya Ghawanma, 40.
According to the Israeli security, the finds were channeled to fund attacks carried out by the Islamic Jihad.
Meanwhile, the sixth woman taken prisoner was identified as Ra'ana Khader, 26. She is suspected of channeling money to armed groups and families of suicide bombers.
She is believed to be the leader of the Islamic Jihad student wing at Hebron University.
