The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) operated last night in the village of Urif, located in the Samaria Division, to map the homes of three terrorists who were involved in the planning and execution of the shooting attack at the Eli gas station on June 20, 2023, in which four Israeli civilians were killed and others were injured.
As a reminder, in the shooting attack at the gas station at the entrance to Eli, four Israeli civilians were killed: Elisha Antman, z"l; Harel Massoud, z"l; Nahman Shmuel Mordof, z"l; and Ofer Feierman, z"l.
Last month, the military prosecution filed indictments against Bassel Shahada and Hamed Zabah on charges of intentional homicide in a group (equivalent to the charge of murder in Israeli law) and additional security offenses, for their involvement in the killing of Elisha Antman, z"l; Harel Massoud, z"l; Nahman Shmuel Mordof, z"l; and Ofer Feierman, z"l. Each of the accused is charged with four counts of intentional homicide in a group, corresponding to the number of victims in the attack.
According to the indictments, the accused individuals acquired a number of firearms and ammunition to carry out shooting attacks against Israeli targets and to harm Jews. The accused conducted several shooting training sessions over a period of months and established connections with individuals residing in the Gaza Strip in order to finance their activities and improve their attack planning.
The accused individuals collaborated with two additional terrorists, providing them with firearms and ammunition to carry out a shooting attack, and they coordinated the execution of the attack with them. On June 20, 2023, the two additional terrorists shot and killed the victims, using the firearms provided to them by the accused. The accused were arrested before they could carry out another planned attack.
Upon filing the indictments, the military prosecution requested the detention of the accused individuals. After reviewing the evidence, the military court ordered the extension of their detention until the completion of the legal proceedings.
The military prosecution is in contact with the victims of the offense and keeps them updated on developments.
The accused individuals were arrested by security forces on June 21, 2023, and have been in custody since that date.
In the coming days, the military prosecution is expected to file an indictment against another involved individual, an accomplice of the accused, also on charges of intentional homicide in a group.
The two terrorists who carried out the actual attack were killed – one of them by a security scout who was in the vicinity, and the second one by security forces during a pursuit that followed.