Israel announces elimination of Hamas cell and death of four people

Israeli authorities said Saturday night that they dismantled a cell of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in the town of Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank, killing at least four people.

For its part, the al-Qasam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, acknowledged the death of three elements in an Israeli operation that, according to the group, lasted 15 hours.

Among the dead is the commander of the brigades in Tulkarem, Alaa Adib, the Palestinian group confirmed.

In addition to the three Hamss militants, the Israeli army said it had shot down an Islamic Jihad fighter, while another suspected militant was detained.

During the action, a police officer was also injured and taken to a hospital.

Israeli authorities were searching for a group of youths accused of killing an Israeli soldier in November in an armed attack at the entrance to the village of Beit Lid, east of Tulkarem, and attacking a vehicle in April, in the town by Nabi. Ilyas, wounding two people, one of them a soldier.

The al Qasam Brigades identified the three dead militiamen as those responsible for the “heroic operations” in Beit Lid and Nabi Ilyas.

According to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, infantry units, reconnaissance drones, missiles and grenades were used during the operation, resulting in the deaths of five Palestinians (the Army reported only four dead and one wounded).

The occupied West Bank is experiencing the greatest spiral of violence since the Second Intifada (2000-2005) and this year at least 167 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, most of them alleged militiamen or attackers, but also civilians, according to a count by the EFE agency.

After the Hamas attack on October 7, the Israeli army intensified its already frequent incursions into the territory, where around 500 Palestinians have died in incidents with Israel, mainly with troops, but also with settlers.