Terrorist behind deadly Samaria shooting attack killed by IDF

IDF also kills Islamic Jihad terrorist who was released as part of November 2023 hostage deal, only to return to terrorism after his release.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli security personnel on Wednesday morning killed a Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist responsible for a deadly terror attack on Israeli civilians in Samaria earlier this year, the IDF said.

In a joint statement with the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), the Israeli military announced that during a special operation involving the Border Police’s elite Yamam unit, the IDF and the Shin Bet, Mohammed Zakaraneh was eliminated.

Zakaraneh was one of three terrorists involved in the deadly attack in Funduq village on January 6, in which three Israeli civilians were murdered.

The terrorist was eliminated during an arrest operation targeting Zakaraneh in the Jenin district.

A native of the neighboring town of Qabatiya in northern Samaria, Zakaraneh was the last suspect wanted in connection with the Funduq shooting attack.

The two other terrorists involved in the attack were eliminated in a joint operation by the Shin Bet and the IDF’s Duvdevan Unit on January 23, in the village of Qabatiya.

As part of Wednesday’s operation, IDF and Border Police forces — guided by the Shin Bet — closed in on a cave in the area of the village of Misilya, in the area of the Menashe Territorial Brigade, where the terrorist was hiding.

A firefight ensued between the Israeli forces and Zakaraneh and two other terrorists, during which multiple shoulder-fired missiles were launched.

At the end of the exchange of fire, the terrorists Zakaraneh and Marouh Hazmiya, another Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist from Qabatiya, were killed.

Hazmiya had been released from detention as part of the November 2023 hostage release deal and was now wanted due to his involvement in planning terrorist activities.

After the battle, Israeli forces found that the two slain terrorists had been in possession of firearms with large quantities of magazines and ammunition, along with bulletproof vests.

Two other terrorists were arrested during the operation, both of whom were carrying pistols.

IDFIslamic JihadJeninPalestinian Islamic JihadPalestinian terror