The Israeli army revealed details of the double operation that took place last night north of Hebron in the West Bank, which resulted in the injury of 3 Israeli soldiers, including a senior officer, and the storming of the homes of the two perpetrators.
The operation took place late yesterday evening in the vicinity of the Gush Etzion and Karmei Tzur settlements on the third day of the largest Israeli military operation in the West Bank since 2002.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced today that the perpetrators, Muhammad Marqa and Zahdi Abu Afifa, were killed by the occupation forces north of Hebron last night.
Army Radio: The identities of the perpetrators of the two operations in Karmi Tzur and Etzion have been identified. They are: Muhammad Marqa and Zahdi Abu Afifa. IDF forces raid their homes in Hebron. pic.twitter.com/J0wmMTNik1
— Khaberni – khaberni (@khaberni) August 31, 2024
In the details of what happened last night, the Israeli army said today that the attackers planned to blow up two cars simultaneously in two locations.
He added that there was contact and coordination between them, and he had previously said that their identity and organizational affiliations were still under investigation.
The Israeli army added that the attack was over and there was no suspicion of a third car bomb.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper quoted Israeli security services as saying that a third car bomb left Hebron last night, but its location has not been determined.
For its part, Haaretz newspaper reported that Israeli security estimates indicate the presence of a cell in Hebron planning to carry out operations similar to the Gush Etzion operation.
raid and arrests
Today, the occupation forces raided the homes of the martyrs Muhammad Marqa and Zahdi Abu Afifa in the Wadi al-Hariyya and Jabal Abu Rumman areas in Hebron, and conducted field investigations with their families. They also vandalized the two homes.
The occupation army spoke about discovering an explosives factory in the Abu Rumman area of Hebron and blowing it up.
For its part, the Israeli Army Radio said that 6 suspects were arrested for their involvement in the double attack in Gush Etzion.
Local sources: The occupation army withdraws from Abu Rumman Mountain in the city of Hebron after blowing up parts of a house and arresting a number of residents. pic.twitter.com/GH8eqRI3Zc
— Quds News Network (@qudsn) August 31, 2024
Since the double operation, the occupation forces have closed all entrances to the city of Hebron, imposed a comprehensive security cordon, and tightened their measures at many of the checkpoints they have set up in more than one location.
An Israeli soldier was injured in the first attack near the settlement of Karmei Tzur, and then the commander of the Gush Etzion Brigade, a colonel, and another soldier were injured by Israeli soldiers’ bullets while dealing with the perpetrator of the second attack.
Israeli websites broadcast pictures of the first moments after the explosion at the Gush Etzion gas station. The pictures show Israeli soldiers shooting a person near the explosion site.
Factions bless
The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) described the double operation north of Hebron as heroic, and said that it is a clear message that the resistance will remain as long as the occupation continues to target the Palestinian people.
The Islamic Jihad Movement also blessed the operation, which it considered to have caused great embarrassment to the security and political levels in the entity.
The movement said that the media deception practiced by the occupation by publishing fabricated stories and downplaying the breach will not change the reality of the matter at all.
For its part, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said that the dual operation confirms that the resistance in the West Bank is escalating and developing its capabilities, and that it also reflects a strategic harmony between the resistance forces in the southern and northern West Bank.