IDF soldiers search for students in Hevron
IDF soldiers search for students in HevronFlash 90

Palestinian Authority (PA) sources reported Sunday night that a terrorist outside of Ramallah, Samaria was killed during the night while taking part in an Arab mob attacking IDF forces.

Ahmad Arafat, 19, was reportedly shot in the town of Jelazoun while being part of a mob throwing stones at IDF soldiers, who were searching for the three yeshiva students who were kidnapped by terrorists last Thursday night.

Three combat soldiers were injured lightly during the clash, as stones and bricks were thrown at them. Two were treated at the scene, while the third was evacuated to the hospital after being hit in the head by a brick, with concerns that he may have suffered a concussion.

According to PA medical and security sources, Arafat was shot in the chest during the clashes, reports AFP. The sources were unsure whether the IDF was attempting to arrest Arafat at the time, leaving the details of the incident unclear.

The Arab sources noted that Arafat had been released from an Israeli prison just a week ago; they did not specify as to the nature of the crime that had landed him in jail.

A second terrorist was reportedly injured lightly after being shot by a rubber bullet.

The IDF did not release an immediate comment on the incident, saying its operations in Judea and Samaria will continue, operations that focus on the Hevron area where the cell phone signal of one of the kidnapped students was located last Friday.

The attack on IDF soldiers was not isolated to Jelazoun; near Har Gilo just south of Jerusalem in Judea, terrorists opened fire at Border Patrol officers in a drive-by shooting. No soldiers were injured in the attack.

As part of its operations, the IDF has been cracking down on terrorists, arresting roughly 150 since the operation began late last Thursday night, including the top Hamas official in the region and second-in-line to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

Arab sources claimed that two local Arabs were injured in Hevron during the search, as IDF forces blasted open a door in one of the houses as part of their intensive operation.

Gilad Sha'ar, 16, Naftali Frenkel, 16, and Eyal Yifrah, 19 were kidnapped by terrorists apparently from Hamas on Thursday night, as they were on their way home from the Makor Chaim Yeshiva in the religious kibbutz Kfar Etzion, located between Jerusalem and Hevron.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has placed the blame squarely on the PA, given that the kidnapping originated from PA-held territory and that it recently signed a unity deal with Hamas, which he holds responsible for conducting the abduction.