Lebanese Army says Hamas hands over rocket fire suspect

L'Orient-Le Jour

05-05-2025

Lebanon's army said Sunday Hamas had handed over a Palestinian suspected of involvement in rocket fire at Israel, days after authorities warned the militant group against harming the country's security.
Hamas handed over the man "at the entrance to Ain al-Hilweh," an army statement said, referring to a restive Palestinian refugee camp on the outskirts of the southern city of Saida.
"He is suspected of involvement in two rocket launches towards" Israel from Lebanon on March 22 and 28, the statement said.
Israel responded to the rocket fire by bombing southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hamas ally Hezbollah holds sway.
Israel's military has continued to strike Lebanon despite a November cease-fire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah, including two months of all-out war.
The Israeli military often says it has targeted Hezbollah operatives or infrastructure, but also occasionally Hamas members or other allies.
Sunday's army statement said the suspect's handover came based on the "recommendation of the Higher Defense Council and the Lebanese government decision on warning against the use of Lebanese territory to carry out any action that threatens Lebanese national security."
The council issued the recommendation on Friday, warning that "the utmost measures" would be taken to stop any action that violates Lebanese sovereignty.
Last month, the army arrested several Lebanese and Palestinian individuals accused of involvement in the March launches.
A Lebanese security source told AFP at the time that three Hamas members had been arrested.
No group claimed responsibility for the rocket launches, and Hezbollah denied any involvement.