A Palestinian woman who tried to stab officers in Jerusalem and a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist group who opened fire on Israeli forces during a raid in the West Bank were killed during their attempted attacks.
By Erin Viner
A knife-wielding female terrorist tried to stab Israeli police stationed near the Chain Gate entry into Jerusalem’s Old City around 6:30 AM this morning. She reportedly perpetrated her attempted-murder after leaving the nearby Al Aqsa Mosque compound on the Temple Mount.
Officers responded with live fire, killing the assailant. There were no Israeli casualties in the attempted knifing.
Palestinian sources identified the woman as Esra Khuzaymah, 30, from the West Bank town of Qabatiya near Jenin.
In other overnight violence, Israeli soldiers and paramilitary police were confronted by local Palestinians during an operation in Burqin, also near Jenin.
A 22-year-old Palestinian male who shot at the forces during the ensuing riot was killed in returned fire. The gunman was identified as Alaa Nasser Zayoud, who belonged to the armed al-Quds Brigades wing of the PIJ. His weapon was successfully retrieved and confiscated by Israeli security forces.
There were no Israeli casualties during the mission, which was conducted as part of nightly efforts to eradicate a widespread terrorist network in the area operated by the Hamas rulers of Gaza.
5 Palestinians, 4 of whom were claimed as members by Hamas, were killed in gun battles with Israeli forces carrying out arrest raids in the West Bank on Sunday. 2 IDF soldiers were critically injured during one of the operations.
IDF troops, the military Intelligence Directorate, Israel Security Agency (ISA, or Shin Bet), Israeli Police Counter Terrorism Unit “YAMAM” and the Israeli Border Police “YAMAS” Special Operations Unit engaged in 5 simultaneous operations to apprehend Palestinian operatives of the Hamas’ Izz-al-Din al-Qassam Brigades military wing following several weeks of extensive intelligence and operational efforts,
Despite being confronted by “a night with a series of ‘obstructions’ of the highest importance,” IDF Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi commended the Israeli forces for the Sunday operation for having prevented several impending and “very significant terror attacks” on major Israeli cities.
“This is a considerable achievement made possible thanks to the cooperation of the IDF with the Shin Bet and the police anti-terror unit. Such raids are conducted dozens of times each week and provide Israel with the security it requires on the West Bank and beyond,” stressed Israel’s top military commander.