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Massive 50-member Arab terror squad, linked to teen murder in Samaria, captured by Israeli forces

The squad was apprehended as part of a wide-scale operation in Palestinian Authority territory, said the Israeli statement.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli security forces said on Wednesday that they have captured a massive terrorist squad of some 50 members suspected in connection with a deadly attack in August at a fresh water spring in Samaria. They reportedly acted under the umbrella of the PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine) terrorist organization.

In the bombing attack, Rina Shnerb, 17, was murdered, and her father, Eitan, and brother, Dvir, were wounded.

The three family members were visiting a spring named in memory of terror victim Dani Gonen, who was murdered there by Arab terrorists in 2015.

In September, the IDF announced that three terrorists who were responsible for the attack had been arrested.

However, the military now says that there was a larger terror cell that was behind the August attack.

“The squad was apprehended as part of a wide-scale operation in the Ramallah and Qalqilya districts” in Palestinian Authority territory, said Wednesday’s Israeli statement, noting that the IDF, Israel Police and Border Police, and the Shin Bet intelligence agency had all taken part in uncovering the large terror operation.

“The IDF will continue to operate in order to preserve the security in the area, thwart any terror attempts, and arrest terrorists,” said the Israeli military statement.

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Investigators also found that the terror cell was involved in two shooting attacks near the Israeli community of Beit El, north of Jerusalem, a year and a half ago, reports Arutz 7.

During the Shin Bet’s initial questioning of the three terrorists involved in the bombing attack whose capture was announced in September, information was also obtained leading to “the discovery of various hidden weapons linked to the PFLP cell, including an M-16 assault rifle, an AK-47 assault rifle, a Galil assault rifle, a carbine rifle, a mini-Uzi-style submachine gun, a number of pistols, a silencer, material used for the assembly of bombs, remote detonators, telescopic rifle sights, and large quantities of ammunition,” the website added.