A huge terrorist attack in Jerusalem was prevented when IDF forces raided the village of Silwad in the Ramallah area Wednesday evening to arrest a terrorist operative.
Security forces have revealed that the target of the operation was Maad Hamed, a Hamas terrorist who was a member of the cell which murdered Malachi Rosenfeld in 2015. The forces surrounded his house and demanded that he surrender.
Maad had been imprisoned by Palestinian Authority security forces since the attack. On Wednesday, the Shabak received information indicating that Maad had escaped detention. According to the informant, the purpose of Maad's escape was to prepare a terrorist attack against Israeli targets in the near future.
Speaking after the arrest, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said: "We have arrested the murderer of Malachi Rosenfeld. Seven years ago, the heinous terrorist Maad Hamed carried out a shooting attack on a vehicle in the area of Kida and killed Malachi Rosenfeld and wounded three of his friends, who were on their way home.
"He recently escaped detention by the PA and was on his way to carry out an attack against Israelis. Our security forces along with Shabak agents went into action and captured him, thus preventing a serious attack. Our forces also arrested other suspects involved in the attack. The long arm of our security forces will reach everyone who raises a hand against us," Bennett added.
14 people have been murdered in a wave of terrorist attacks in Israel in recent weeks.
IDF and Israeli security forces conducted counterterrorism activities in Judea and Samaria overnight Tuesday and on Wednesday morning. During the operations, one IDF soldier was lightly injured and a total of 15 terror suspects were apprehended, including three Hamas operatives in Qalqilya.
IDF special forces conducted counterterrorism activities in a number of locations around the city of Nablus. The soldiers apprehended two suspects and confiscated a “Carlo” submachine gun. During the operational activity in the town of Beita, dozens of Palestinian Authority Arabs instigated a violent riot and hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at the soldiers. The soldiers responded with riot dispersal methods and live ammunition. A hit on an armed suspect was identified.
Earlier this week, Palestinian Authority Arabs vandalized the Joseph’s Tomb religious site in the city of Nablus. On Wednesday morning, IDF soldiers secured the area of Joseph’s Tomb while repairs were made to the site. During the activity, hundreds of Palestinian Authority Arabs instigated a violent riot, burned tires and hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at the soldiers in the area. The soldiers responded with riot dispersal means and live ammunition.
Additionally, during the counterterrorism activity in Qalqilya, in which three Hamas terror operatives were apprehended, Palestinian Authority Arabs instigated violent riots in a number of locations in the city. The rioters hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at IDF soldiers. The soldiers responded with riot dispersal means and .22 caliber rounds. A hit on a rioter was identified.
During the riot, an IDF soldier was lightly injured due to stones thrown at him and was evacuated to a hospital for further medical treatment.
All of the suspects and weapons apprehended during the activities have been transferred to the ISA (Shabak) for further processing.