IDF releases identities of terrorists killed in Gaza riots

As of Sunday, Israel had managed to identify a majority of the Gazans killed on Friday as active members of terrorist organizations who took part in extreme violence toward IDF forces at flash points along the border.

By: Steve Leibowitz, World Israel News

Despite an attempt by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority to portray those killed in Friday’s clashes as peaceful protesters, Israel already has documented proof that most of those killed were active members of a terrorist group and were directly involved in violence against Israeli forces or installations at the times of their deaths.

Take Masab Salul for example. Salul, 23 was a known member of the Hamas military wing, who was shot and killed after opening fire at IDF soldiers along the Gaza border. Israel is now reportedly holding Salul’s body. Hamas has confirmed that Salul was a member, and his photo is included in a list of “martyr’s” killed on Friday. There was no announcement of funeral arrangements for Salul, leading to speculation that his body and that of a second terrorist are being held by Israel.

The IDF says that at least 10 of the 16 Palestinians killed by Israeli gunfire on the Gaza border Friday were terrorists, including eight who were members of the Hamas Military wing. The IDF’s Arabic language spokesman Avichai Andree provided details to the Arabic media on the “terrorist credentials” of the dead.

Others identified as members of the Hamas included Sari Walid Abu Odeh, 28 from Beit Hanoun; Jihad Ahmed Fraina, 35, from Sheikh Radwan; Ahmed Ibrahim Ashour Odeh, 19, from Gaza; Hamdan Isma’il Abu Amsha, 25, from Beit Hanoun; Mahmoud Saadi Rahmi, 33, from Shuja’iyya; Mohammed Naeem Abu Amr, 27, from Shuja’iyya; Abdel Fattah Abdel Nabi, 20, from Beit Lahia. Ibrahim Salah Abu Shaar, 29, from Rafah, was identified as a member of the Islamic Jihad and Jihad Zuhair and Abu Jamous, 30, from Bani Suheila, was a member of Fatah’s al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

The emerging picture from Friday’s events is that active members of terror groups were directly involved in some of the most violent attacks on Israeli soldiers and positions. They threw stones and firebombs, and rolled burning ties at the barrier and in a few cases fired weapons at soldiers. Thousands of Palestinian men, women and children stood further back and remained mostly uninjured.

Al-Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip said that 284 wounded were treated on Friday, and there were about 25 injuries but no fatalities related to Saturday protests.