IDF kills at least 9 Hamas terrorists, including a commander, in operations in Tulkarem on Shabbat

IDF continues counter terror operations in Judea and Samaria during Gaza War

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Israeli Defense Forces carried out intense counter-terrorism operations on Saturday around Tulkarem, in the Palestinian territories of Judea and Samaria, internationally known as the West Bank. During these operations, an airstrike targeted a vehicle, resulting in the deaths of all nine terrorists inside.

צה"ל תקף במרחב הכפר קפין שבחטיבת מנשה, בהכוונה מודיעינית של שב"כ ובאמצעות כלי טיס של חיל האוויר, רכב ובו חמישה מחבלים שהיו בדרכם לבצע פיגוע טרור.

כוחות צה״ל, שב״כ ומג״ב ממשיכים לפעול כעת בטול-כרם שבחטיבת מנשה לסיכול טרור במרחב pic.twitter.com/fF5gqcfDQi
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) August 3, 2024

According to the IDF, the terrorists were “on their way to carry out a terrorist attack in the area of Qaffin village in the territory of Menashe.”

The IDF spokesman said Israeli security forces had identified several of the suspects before the strike and sent an armored vehicle to intercept. After the terrorists attacked the IDF troops, a drone was guided to eliminate the terror cell.

Haitham Balidi, a commander in a local wing of Hamas in Tulkarem was killed in the drone strike, according to Palestinian media.

Several weapons were recovered by IDF soldiers following the strike.

The Palestinian director of the Thabet Hospital, where the terrorists were taken after the strike, told Palestinian TV, that Balidi “and another four fatalities whose remains were charred, were transferred to the government hospital Thabet after being hit by a missile from a drone near the town of Zeita, north of Tulkarem.”

Shortly after that strike, another drone hit a cell of four terrorists who opened fire at IDF troops near Tulkarem. After engaging the terror squad, Israeli forces called in a drone strike, eliminating the terrorists.

בפעילות משותפת של צה״ל, שב״כ ומג"ב חוסלה חוליית מחבלים נוספת, במהלך היתקלות של כוחות מיחידת דובדבן בטול-כרם שבחטיבת מנשה. זוהו ארבעה מחבלים אשר פתחו בירי לעבר כוחותינו, בהכוונה מודיעינית של שב"כ, לוחמי דובדבן ויחידה 636 כלי טיס של חיל האוויר חיסל את החוליה pic.twitter.com/pEAqrmc9WW
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) August 3, 2024

The troops found various weapons and military equipment, as well as flags of the terror organization Hamas. The IDF published an image of the weapons recovered.

Israeli forces in the Judea and Samaria have continued to engage in counter-terror activities during the Gaza War, launching more than 55 airstrikes and detaining over 4,400 Palestinian suspects, with at least 1,800 reportedly having affiliations with Hamas.

According to the Palestinian Authority, more than 590 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the start of the Oct. 7 war.

The IDF says the majority of those killed were armed gunmen who perished in firefights with Israeli forces, terrorists who carried out attacks, or rioters who clashed with Israeli troops.

During the same period, 25 Israelis have been killed in terror attacks within Israel and the West Bank.