by Leonid Tsukanov
[REGNUM] Israeli intelligence agency Mossad recently carried out a large-scale operation in the EU, in conjunction with European intelligence agencies.
Its goal was to destroy the Octopus network—a coalition of underground Hamas cells in Europe that was preparing to open a second front against the Israelis, led by influential figures in the Palestinian resistance.
However, the victory over the European underground, contrary to expectations, brought Tel Aviv not relief, but new worries.
FAMILY BUSINESS
One of the leaders of the Octopus, according to Israeli intelligence, is Muhammad Naim , the son of senior Hamas politburo member Basem Naim .
As a confidant of the movement's leader in the Gaza Strip , Khalil al-Hayy , Naim Sr. allegedly recommended that the leadership open "another front" in Europe. This was done, firstly, to keep the Jewish community in Europe under constant pressure and, secondly, to provide the movement with additional leverage in negotiations.
Israeli intelligence believes that by that time, Hamas already had an extensive network of cells in at least six EU countries, and that most of them had emerged as early as 2023 but remained dormant.
However, Naim Sr. proposed uniting them under a common leadership, calling it the "Octopus System," and using them for a one-time performance, in order to achieve a cumulative effect from the actions.
In September 2025, shortly before the attack on the Hamas political bureau headquarters in Qatar, Naim Jr. traveled to Doha, where, according to Israeli sources, he was granted an audience with al-Hayyi and received his blessing to begin active operations. October 7, the anniversary of Hamas's Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, was chosen as the "time of truth."
However, the underground members didn't have time to launch a fight. After Donald Trump's "Peace Plan" for Gaza was announced in late September 2025, an urgent message arrived from Doha: no active action until further notice. This decision ultimately proved fatal for the network: Mossad and European intelligence agencies were already on the trail of the conspirators, and only months remained before the defeat of "Octopus."
ENTRY POINT
It's worth noting that the operation against Hamas operatives in Europe began even before Naim Jr.'s trip to Doha. In early summer 2025, police and special forces in Germany, France, Austria, and Belgium conducted a series of operational operations, dismantling dozens of caches across the EU and detaining several illegal weapons dealers.
However, for a long time, the disparate warehouses and cells were not combined into a single case. European law enforcement believed that the subversive activities were carried out by individual renegades unaffiliated with the Politburo, as well as by supporters of radical groups like ISIS* masquerading as them.
Moreover, at least several of those detained actually showed interest in building a radical caliphate in the past and only defected to Hamas after 2024.
European law enforcement officials received a tip on how best to approach the extensive network without alarming its participants in other countries from an unexpected source: retired Syrian General Khaled al-Halabi , who was already under investigation by Austrian law enforcement in another case.
Wanting to demonstrate his loyalty to justice, al-Halabi told investigators about persistent attempts by representatives of the Palestinian resistance in Europe to establish contact with him.
The meetings took place in Austria and Hungary, where the general frequented most of his visits. The visitors were interested in whether al-Halabi had any contacts among arms manufacturers in Lebanon and Syria who could help with the expansion of production in Europe and the Balkans.
Incidentally, similar tips were provided by Barakhan al-Khatib , a smuggler and businessman arrested a year earlier who acted as a liaison between several Hamas cells. He was also responsible for transporting suitcases of cash from Turkey, where one of the movement's operational bases was located.
However, unlike al-Khatib, the Syrian immediately named specific names. He even revealed one of his former subordinates, a certain Mohammed, who had organized some of the meetings.
Upon further investigation of contacts, operatives identified at least three more local Hamas coordinators, all connected in one way or another to relatives of Politburo members. All that remained was to strike, which they did recently.
WAITING FOR THE BLOW
The new wave of searches and raids that swept across Europe with the active participation of the Israelis proved more effective.
Security forces uncovered several large caches of weapons and ammunition, and also thwarted a series of attacks on Jewish cultural sites, allegedly orchestrated by Naim Jr. Almost all of Octopus's leaders, with the exception of perhaps the very top, were taken into custody.
Both Naim Jr. and his entourage managed to leave Europe a few days before the operation, moving to Turkey and from there to somewhere in the Middle East. Their tracks were lost after crossing the border.
This prompted Tel Aviv to accuse Ankara of faking the plot. Allegedly, Turkish intelligence services, aware of the impending raids in the EU, helped the conspirators escape.
It's also interesting that, despite Mossad's triumphant reports about the defeat of the Hamas network, Israeli security forces are in no hurry to celebrate. The Octopus's trail leads back to the Middle East. And directly to Israel, where several illegal weapons dealers, allegedly working for Naim Jr.'s network, were recently detained.
This is causing growing nervousness in Tel Aviv. While it was previously believed that the Octopus's activities were limited to continental Europe, the recent arrests of underground fighters in Israel have undermined this theory. This means that the surprise blow that the Hamas politburo allegedly threatened the Israeli authorities with could come much closer.
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