IDF kills Gaza terrorist behind psychological warfare videos

Islamic Jihad terrorist freed in Gilad Shalit deal was responsible for videos intended to demoralize Israelis during Gaza war.

By World Israel News Staff

The Israeli military on Thursday killed a senior Islamic Jihad terrorist responsible for the organization’s psychological warfare videos aimed at demoralizing Israelis during the Gaza war.

On Friday morning, the IDF and Shin Bet internal security agency announced that the deputy head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s propaganda unit was killed in an airstrike Thursday in the Gaza Strip.

Wael Abu-Fanounah, according to the IDF and Shin Bet, was responsible for publishing the terror group’s videos, including of rocket fire at Israel, and creating the propaganda videos of hostages.

He was one of over 1,000 terrorists released by Israel in 2011, in exchange for the release of captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.

The IDF released footage Friday of the airstrike which eliminated Abu0Fanounah.

It says Abu-Fanounah previously held other senior positions in Islamic Jihad, including being the assistant to Khalil Bahtini, the terror group’s commander in northern Gaza.

Meanwhile, in the central Gaza Strip, the IDF said Friday that reservists of the 179th Brigade located a cache of weapons in a building after RPGs were fired at troops from the area.

In northern Gaza, the IDF says reservists of the 5th Brigade battled and killed several Hamas gunmen during a number of engagements, including using tank shelling and calling in airstrikes.