Palestinian media reported that undercover Israeli special forces opened fire on a car in Nablus (West Bank), and that they killed several people.
A security official told Israel Hayom that Yamam fighters eliminated a ticking time bomb: Issam al-Salaj, the commander of the Al Aqsa brigades and a squad of senior terrorists from the Balata refugee camp, who were in a car near the eastern market in Nablus.
Al-Salaj had survived three assassination attempts in the past.
This is not the first time that special forces have eliminated wanted terrorists in Nablus. Last June, Adam Faraj from the Balata refugee camp was eliminated when he arrived at his sister's henna celebration at a banquet hall in Nablus.
The undercover forces entered an area near the Balata refugee camp and surrounded the banquet hall where the wanted Faraj, known as the "Balata Battalion Commander," was staying. A soon as he noticed the fighters, he tried to escape through the roof of the building with a weapon in his hand, but the undercover forces shot and killed him.
Afterwards, additional armed terrorists in the area shot at the Border Police and threw explosive devices at them. The undercover forces returned fire, he Palestinians later confirmed that in addition to Faraj, Muataz Nablusi was also eliminated in the operation.
Here is the English translation of the joint statement:
The IDF Spokesperson, Police Spokesperson, and Shin Bet Spokesperson made the following announcement:
A short while ago, Yamam fighters operated in the city of Nablus in the 'Samaria' Brigade, together with IDF and Border Police forces, to arrest individuals wanted for terrorist activities.
Yamam fighters eliminated five wanted terrorists in Nablus, including the head of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs terrorist organization in Balata, who posed a danger to our forces. The terrorists were involved in carrying out and planning terrorist activities against civilians and IDF forces. None of our forces were injured during this incident."
The Times of Israel and Ynet contributed to this article.