Israeli Special Forces Kill Hamas Terrorist in West Bank Shootout

Latest Developments

The IDF Continues Counterterrorism Operations in Northern West Bank: Commandos belonging to the IDF’s Maglan reconnaissance unit killed Hamas member Khaled Mustafa Amer in a shootout with other terrorists in Nour Shams on February 12. During the encounter, a Maglan fighter was moderately injured and evacuated to a hospital for treatment. Israeli troops seized an M-16 rifle, ammunition, and other military equipment carried by the terrorist.
Terror Groups Acknowledge Fatalities: Since the launch of operation “Iron Wall” in Jenin on January 21, the IDF, Shin Bet, and Border Police have expanded their area of activity to include the Tulkarm governorate, which includes Tulkarm and Nour Shams, where significant hubs of terrorism are present. Since the start of the offensive, Palestinian Islamic Jihad has officially acknowledged the deaths of 15 members. For its part, Hamas published details of 13 members who were killed during the IDF’s operation.
Defense Minister Katz Signals a Prolonged IDF Stay in Jenin: Defense Minister Israel Katz said on January 29 that the IDF would remain in Jenin following the conclusion of the operation. “After the operation is completed, IDF troops will remain in the camp to make sure terror does not return,” Katz remarked. Katz also directed a message to the Palestinian Authority, warning that it must “stop funding terrorism and [the] murder of Jews and start fighting terror seriously.”

Expert Analysis

“As terrorists increase their activities in the northern West Bank, the Israel Defense Forces has been increasing its operations to keep a lid on the threats. In a recent raid near the city of Tulkarm, the IDF eliminated a terrorist and found illegal weapons and ammunition. This underscores how terror groups are trafficking arms to carry out attacks. Preempting the terrorists before they strike is essential to preventing further attacks on Israelis.” — Seth J. Frantzman, FDD Adjunct Fellow

“The IDF is carrying out a broad counterterrorism operation in the northern West Bank because the Palestinian Authority has allowed terrorist groups such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to build significant infrastructure in the territory. While the Palestinian Authority has recently made efforts to degrade terrorist infrastructure, it has been much too little and too late. Without a lengthy security presence in areas such as Jenin, Tulkarm, Nour Shams, and elsewhere, the threat of West Bank terrorism will continue to challenge Israel for the foreseeable future.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal