Jenin: IDF eliminates terrorists responsible for murder of Yehonatan Deutsch

IDF, ISA, announce identities of terrorists eliminated in Jenin, note two of them were involved in a Jordan Valley terror earlier this month.

IAF aircraft on Saturday night struck a terror cell traveling in a vehicle in central Jenin.

According to Arab reports, four people were killed in the strike.

Later, in a joint announcement, the IDF and ISA stated: "The ISA and IDF eliminated two senior Hamas terrorists in Jenin who were involved in planning the shooting attack in the Jordan Valley, during which Yonatan Deutsch was murdered."

"In a joint IDF and ISA operation, an aircraft struck a vehicle in Jenin and eliminated two senior Hamas terrorists."

The announcement added, "Terrorist Ahmed Abu Ara from Aqabah was involved in further terrorist attacks and was a senior operative in the production of explosives for terror attacks."

"Additionally, the terrorist Rafet Dawasi from Silat al-Harithiya was a senior in the Hamas military infrastructure of the Jenin area.

"During the ISA investigation on Yassin Ghanem, who was arrested by the ISA and IDF, it was revealed that the two terrorists were involved in the terror attack on the 11th of August, 2024, in the Jordan Valley, during which Yehonatan Deutsch was murdered."

Deutsch, aged 23 from Beit She'an, was murdered on Sunday in a drive-by shooting attack on the road leading to the village of Rotem in the Jordan Valley.

Yehonatan was released last week from active service in the IDF's elite Maglan Unit and saw intense combat during the first months of the war in Gaza. Yehonatan, who was scheduled to wed in the coming weeks, was on the way to his fiancée's hometown of Ofra when he was gunned down.

Deutsch graduated from the Beit She'an Yeshiva High School, was a counselor in the Bnei Akiva youth movement, and volunteered a good deal in his city. He is survived by his parents, four brothers, and one sister.

Earlier this month, IAF aircraft eliminated armed terror cells during a security operation in Jenin.

The eliminations were carried out in two separate strikes. Security sources said one of the strikes targeted two armed terrorists driving on a motorcycle and attempting to harm Israeli forces, and that the second strike targeted a cell of four terrorists who posed a threat to forces in the area.

According to reports, hits were identified on some of the terrorists. Arab reports said that at least one of the terrorists was eliminated, and a second is in critical condition.

The IDF confirmed, "A short while ago, in two separate strikes, an IAF aircraft struck armed terrorist cells during a counterterrorism operation in the area of Jenin.

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