Hamas denies dismantling of one of its training camps in Aley

L'Orient-Le Jour

5 days ago

Hamas on Monday denied reports about an alleged dismantling of one of its military training camps by the Lebanese Army in the Aley region, in the mountains south of Beirut.
"Hamas does not have any training camp in the aforementioned area, nor in any other Lebanese region, and does not seek to establish any," the statement said.
'Desire to coordinate with the Lebanese state'
"Hamas reaffirms its commitment to Lebanese sovereignty, as well as the security and stability of Lebanon, believing that Lebanon's interests serve those of the Palestinian people and their cause," the statement continued. The movement "insists on its willingness to collaborate and coordinate with the Lebanese state and its security services in order to preserve civil peace and strengthen the fraternal Lebanese-Palestinian relationship."
Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, a Lebanese Sunni party affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood and close to Hamas, also denied reports about the existence of a training camp for its fighters in Aley. The group even stated that it refused "to give the Israeli enemy any pretext to continue its aggression against Lebanon, and has repeatedly reiterated its call to adopt a defense strategy in line with the president's speech on national security and its requirements."
Sweep in the Aley district
Citing a "judicial source," the newspaper Asharq al-Awsat, close to the Saudi government, reported Saturday that a Hamas and al-Jamaa al-Islamiya training camp was dismantled in the Aley region. It also said, citing "Lebanese military sources," that arrests carried out three weeks ago in Aitat (Aley) of people found with weapons, had targeted militants from Hamas and the military wing of al-Jamaa al-Islamiya. After the sweep, the Lebanese Army stated that it was not a jihadist cell but did not mention the suspects' affiliations.
In early May, Lebanon officially warned Hamas against any use of Lebanese territory to conduct actions that would undermine Lebanese national security, "under penalty of the strictest measures and procedures to end any violation of Lebanese sovereignty." The warning came as members of the Palestinian movement are suspected of firing shells toward Israel on March 22 and 28, which triggered Israeli army reprisals in Lebanon. The move was taken as the Lebanese state committed to reclaiming the monopoly on arms, by disarming Hezbollah as well as Palestinian factions and camps. A plan was set to disarm the camps in June, but the process was suspended due to the war between Israel and Iran and political tensions.
Hamas, like al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, carried out operations from Lebanon during the 13-month war between Hezbollah and Israel, from October 2023 to November 2024, and many of its leaders and fighters were killed in Israeli strikes, even after the truce took effect on Nov. 27.