Hamas Commander and 18 Others Arrested in Jenin Counter-Terrorism Raid

IDF forces conducting raids in Jenin. (Twitter Screenshot) (Twitter Screenshot)

Fayed was recently involved in several shooting attacks on Israeli forces and planned to carry out additional attacks.

By Pesach Benson, JNS

Israeli security forces arrested a senior Hamas terrorist in Jenin on Tuesday.

Two Israel Border Police officers were lightly wounded by shrapnel during an exchange of fire with a gunman during the operation, which resulted in the capture of Omar Fayed, one of the heads of the Hamas military infrastructure in the city.

Fayed was recently involved in several shooting attacks on Israeli forces and planned to carry out additional attacks.

The Israel Defense Forces, Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), and police conducted the joint operation.

The two wounded soldiers were evacuated to a hospital.

18 terror suspects nabbed across Judea and Samaria

Israeli security forces arrested 18 wanted terrorism suspects during counterterror raids in Judea and Samaria on Monday night, the Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday.

Soldiers operating in the Jenin refugee camp discovered tunnel shafts booby-trapped with explosives. Three wanted Palestinians were arrested during the operation, and troops seized illegal weapons.

In Qalqilya, where seven Palestinians were arrested, soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian man who tried to run them over.

In the village of Silwad, near Ramallah, soldiers arrested two wanted men and confiscated thousands of shekels earmarked for terrorist activity.

לוחמי צה"ל, שב"כ ומג"ב פעלו הלילה למעצר 18 מבוקשים ברחבי יהודה ושומרון ובחטיבת הבקעה והעמקים.

במבצע בג'נין בחטיבת מנשה, כלי הנדסה חשפו צירים מחשש להימצאות מטענים שהוטמנו במטרה לפגוע בכוחותינו.
הכוחות עצרו שלושה מבוקשים והחרימו אמצעי לחימה>> pic.twitter.com/H46W9QnAUf

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) February 13, 2024

An arrest raid in the village of A-Ram, adjacent to northeastern Jerusalem, lasted nine hours as security personnel interrogated dozens of suspects, seized weapons and other military equipment, and took eight wanted Palestinians into custody.

Israeli forces also confiscated illegal weapons in Hebron and in Huwara, adjacent to Nablus.

No Israeli casualties were reported during the counterterror operations.

Since Oct. 7, about 3,100 wanted Palestinians have been arrested throughout Judea and Samaria, of whom more than 1,350 were associated with Hamas.

On Tuesday, Israeli forces thwarted an attempted vehicular assault in Gush Etzion.

The driver, a Palestinian, tried to run over civilians at the Gush Etzion Junction, located south of Bethlehem about 10 miles from Jerusalem, the Israel Defense Forces said.

Soldiers neutralized the assailant following a pursuit. A knife was found during a search of the terrorist’s vehicle. There were no other injuries in the attack.