File image.
Early on April 2, three members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) were killed as a result of a new Israeli operation in the occupied West Bank.
Clashes broke out when the Palestinian gunmen opened fire on an Israeli team from the Border Police’s elite Yamam unit that attempted to arrest them in the village of Arraba, southwest of the city of Jenin.
Four Israeli troops were hurt during the clashes. One of them sustained serious wounds. He was reportedly flown by helicopter to Rambam Medical Center in the northern city of Haifa, where went under surgery.
The three gunmen had been under surveillance by the Shin Bet security service for several hours ahead of the clashes. The Israeli Police said that gunmen were on their way to carrying out an attack.
“Information was received of a terror squad on its way to commit an attack,” police said, adding that the gunmen were involved in what it called “terror activities” against Israeli security forces.
According to the police, the operation in Arraba was the result of a joint effort involving Yamam, the Shin Bet and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
The police released images of the weapons which were allegedly found in the gunmen’s vehicle, including an M16 assault rifle with IDF marks, at least two 30-round magazines and a hand grenade. A hand written will signed with the name of the PIJ was also found.
במבצע משותף של שב”כ וימ”מ סוכלו שלושה חברי חולית טרור שאחראית בין היתר על ביצוע פיגוע ירי בגזרת טול כרם ותכננה לבצע פיגועים נוספים בטווח הזמן המיידי.
בעת ניסיון מעצרם בוצע ירי לעבר הכוח של לוחמי שב”כ וימ”מ אשר הגיב באש וניטרל את השלושה. ברכבם של המבוקשים נמצאו נשק ורימונים. pic.twitter.com/SDOY4Ws6Lx— Amir Bohbot אמיר בוחבוט (@amirbohbot) April 1, 2022
בפעילות משותפת של לוחמי הימ”מ – היחידה ללוחמה בטרור של מג”ב/משטרת ישראל, שב”כ וצה”ל, חוסלו הלילה 3 מחבלים בין ג’נין לטולכרם בקרב יריות.
חוליית המחבלים הייתה חמושה בנשקים ובאמצעי לחימה נוספים.
מדובר בחוליית מחבלים שהייתה מעורבים בפעילות טרור נגד כוחות הביטחון בתקופה האחרונה, וככל pic.twitter.com/2S7fCM37ey— Amir Bohbot אמיר בוחבוט (@amirbohbot) April 1, 2022
A few hours after the operation in Arraba, the IDF said its troops arrested a Palestinian in the village of Shuweika near Tulkarm city, suspected of being linked to the same PIJ cell. An M4A1 Carbine and two 30-roud magazines were found with the suspect.
IDF says troops arrested a Palestinian in Shuweika near Tulkarm, suspected of being part of the PIJ cell killed overnight. Rifle and ammunition seized. pic.twitter.com/eZ3T8JAvcv
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) April 2, 2022
In a statement, the PIJ confirmed that the three Palestinians killed in Arraba were members of its military wing, the al-Quds Brigades. The group identified the three gunmen as Khalil Tawalbeh, Saeb Abhera and Saif Abu Libdeh.
في اول يوم رمضان وفي اول ساعاته
عملية اغتيال بمئات الرصاصات واستشهاد ( صائب عباهرة وخليل طوالبة ) وكلاهما من جنين، و( سيف أبو لبدة ) من طولكرم، الذين اغتالهم جيش الاحتلال داخل سيارة عند مفترق عرابة قضاء جنين، فجر اليوم / الجهاد الاسلامي يتوعد بالانتقام pic.twitter.com/GliJ1yU81f— د. ناصر اللحام (@nasserlaham4) April 2, 2022
Arraba operation came in the wake of a series of attacks in Israel that claimed the lives of eleven people, including several police officers.
Israel tightened its security measures in the West Bank in response to these attacks, which led to more tensions with Palestinians in the region.
Violence could spread from the West Bank to the Palestinian Gaza Strip. The PIJ has already vowed to respond to the assassination of its three members in Arraba. The group is the second largest armed faction in Gaza after the Hamas Movements, which also condemned the Israeli operation in Arraba.
