Suspects raise hands in surrender
Suspects raise hands in surrenderScreenshot

"We prevented serious terror attacks in the sector," Nachshon Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Shai Shemesh told the IDF Website following the arrest of a five-man terror cell from Beit Fajr in the Etzion Bloc.

The arrests were carried out by the Nitzan Battalion (636).

The cell carried out numerous terror attacks against Israelis in the Etzion Bloc region, including gunfire and fire bomb attacks against the community of Migdal Oz.

Edited video released by the IDF shows night vision footage in which terrorists appear to be engaged in shooting from a slingshot at passing cars and in which they can later be seen surrendering to IDF soldiers.

Lt. Col. Shemesh said that "As part of our defensive mission in the region, which includes protecting the residents and communities in the Etzion Bloc, we carry out routine operational assignments on the highway and around the communities.

"Recently there were several related terror events that emanated from the village of Beit Fajr, against Migdal Oz. Among other things, we are talking about fire bombs that were thrown at the guard's position at the rear entrance to Migdal Oz, fire from improvised and standard weapons against Migdal Oz, and at a bus that was passing through the area, and a fake explosive charge placed near the guard's position at the rear entrance to Migdal Oz.

"We understood that we need to upgrade our operational setup in this area, as we were facing heightened [terror] activity inside the village.

The battalion commander said that "We initiated and carried out various operations that included monitoring points along the routes, arrests and ambushes. We caught a terrorist red handed as he carried out gunfire. We caught terrorists after they carried out a terror attack, following intelligence information, and we caught terrorists as they traveled in vehicles, at checkpoints. We found some of the weapons on the terrorists and some in the terrorists' homes."