BICOM

The Counter-Terrorism Bureau issued a travel alert on 10 April before the Passover holiday after receiving multiple warnings that terrorist groups, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, will attempt to abduct Israelis while vacationing abroad. Around 3,000 Israelis traveled to Greece and Turkey over the holiday period and around 25,000 tourists are expected to cross the Taba border into the Sinai Peninsula during this week. The warning informed Israelis choosing to travel abroad to refrain from sites with a high concentration of Israeli tourists and to be on alert in public places and tourist sites.

Hamas and other Gaza based terrorist groups are motivated to kidnap Israelis due to the prospect of exchanging the abducted person for hundreds of prisoners in an exchange deal, similar to the deal currently underway between negotiators involving captured IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Hezbollah’s motivation is to avenge for the February 2008 assassination of its senior leader Imad Mughniyeh, which it holds Israel responsible for. Since the assassination, Hezbollah has made ten known attempts to target Israelis abroad.