“Amid the exchange of fire, a number of terrorists were eliminated, [and] there are no casualties to our forces,” an IDF spokesman said.
By World Israel News Staff
Two residents of Shechem (Nablus) were killed during an intense firefight with IDF troops overnight Saturday, after the military entered the Palestinian Authority-controlled city to arrest a number of wanted terrorists.
The Israeli army was targeting terrorists whom they believe were responsible for recent shooting attacks aimed at Israeli security forces and Jewish pilgrims visiting Joseph’s Tomb, which is located on the outskirts of Shechem.
“Amid the exchange of fire, a number of terrorists were eliminated, [and] there are no casualties to our forces,” an IDF spokesman said in a statement on Sunday. Notably, the statement did not confirm that any terrorists were successfully arrested, suggesting that the targets of the raid had been killed.
Arabic-language media reported that two people were killed and nine were injured during the raid, although the IDF has not officially confirmed those numbers.
On Palestinian social media, the slain men were identified as Aboud Sobah and Muhammad al-Azizi. Pictures of the men depicted them holding guns, although it was unclear which terror groups claimed them as members.
Forces from the IDF’s Givati Brigade and Yamam special forces police unit entered the city in the early hours of Sunday morning. Soon after, clashes and rioting broke out, with locals shooting at the troops, along with hurling Molotov cocktails and stones.
In footage circulating on social media, the sounds of heavy gunfire from automatic weapons can be heard, for extended periods of time.
Ibrahim Nabulsi, the sole member of a four-man terror squad to survive an Israeli assassination of the cell some five months ago, was the raid’s primary target.
According to Hebrew-language media reports, Nabulsi barricaded himself in his home and refused to surrender to troops.
Nabulsi and others in his home reportedly shot at troops, before eventually being killed in a firefight. Security forces were said to have fired a shoulder-held missile at the home in order to force entry.
“When the shootout ended, the Yamam troops entered the house and during the searches, many weapons, firearms and explosive devices were found,” said a police spokesman in a statement.