The radical Muslim terrorist group Hamas, responsible for the murders of so many civilians, has been dealt another serious blow. From the Jerusalem Post, with thanks to Muhammad:
Four Palestinians were killed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip over the weekend. IDF troops, meanwhile, arrested 26, among them key Hamas figures, during an incursion into Nablus that began on Friday night.
Security officials described the raid as successful, and said soldiers conducted house to house searches for wanted fugitives. Palestinians reported five wounded.
“Without a doubt the Hamas infrastructure has suffered a serious blow, as many of those arrested are senior members,” a security official said. “We have also seen attempts by Fatah Tanzim to strengthen its ranks in the city and noticed recent attempts by both organizations to join forces and perpetrate attacks, especially bombings, inside Israel as well as in Judea and Samaria. The operation was the result of many months of intelligence gathering and we believe it paid off.”
Palestinians reported that more than 70 tanks and other armored vehicles entered the city and claimed more than 30 were arrested, including Sami al-Asi, a reporter for Al Jazeera, and Suhail Khalaf, a reporter for Al Kuds.
Elsewhere in the West Bank, outside of Bethlehem soldiers near Rachel’s Tomb shot and killed Nissan Issa Hajaja, 16, as he attempted to throw a firebomb at them on Friday.
In the Gaza Strip, soldiers in Rafah uncovered a 500–600-meter-long tunnel used by terrorists to smuggle weapons in from Egypt. Officials said the entrance to the tunnel, which was 20-meters deep, was discovered inside a house that was later blown up.
During the operation, Muhammad Abed, 19, was shot dead as he attempted to throw a bomb at troops.
IDF officials noted that since the outbreak of violence three and a half years ago, security forces have destroyed 80 tunnels in Rafah.
On Friday night, soldiers spotted two suspects meters from the central Gaza Strip security fence.
They opened fire and hit one. At daylight, soldiers discovered two bombs, each of which weighed 30 kilograms, near his body. Border Police sappers blew them up. Palestinians identified the terrorist as Ahmed Shahin, 25.
On Friday morning, troops shot an armed Palestinian they spotted on the Karni-Netzarim road. Palestinians identified the dead man as Rami al-Rahim, 27.