Four IDF soldiers injured, 1 seriously in firefight with PIJ terrorists in Nablus

A counter-terror operation that began on Sunday evening in Nablus [biblical Shechem in Samaria] resulted in a firefight between IDF, Shin Bet, and Border Police forces against terrorists from Palestinian Islamic Jihad Monday night. 

During the clash, which occurred when troops attempted to arrest a wanted Palestinian, a commando from the Duvdevan unit was seriously wounded, and three other soldiers from the unit were moderately injured. One gunman was killed in the exchange of fire, and several other terrorists with him were wounded.

During the same operation, another Palestinian terrorist was killed during a fight with IDF soldiers.

Aboud Shaheen (33) from Nablus was wanted by security forces. Shaheen declined an offer to turn himself in and engaged the troops in a firefight as he was being arrested. 

Initial reports did not indicate if he was killed, however, the Palestinian Authority (PA) later announced Shaheen's death.

According to the IDF and Shin Bet, Shaheen had been attempting to start another cell to carry out attacks in Judea and Samaria, internationally known as the West Bank.

As part of the operation, Israeli security forces also recovered several weapons from the terrorists. During the searches, troops located IEDs, a pistol, ammunition, and weapon parts in civilian areas, including a café and shops in the area. 

Later on Tuesday morning, security forces detained six wanted suspects in the village of Silted, near the region of Benjamin, and confiscated two weapons during searches in the nearby village of Bani Na’im. 

Security forces have engaged in near-daily counter-terror raids across Judea and Samaria in an attempt to prevent an uprising in the West Bank as called for by Hamas leadership. 

Since Oct. 7, Israeli soldiers have arrested approximately 5,250 wanted Palestinian suspects, over 2,050 of whom were affiliated with the Hamas terrorist organization.

The PA says that these raids have eliminated at least 716 Palestinians, which the IDF stated are mostly gunmen engaging in firefights with security forces. 

Hamas has repeatedly called on Palestinians living in the territories to rise up and attack Israelis. Since Oct. 7, 33 people have been killed in terror attacks in Israel, as well as in the West Bank.