Violent clashes as IDF demolishes terrorist's home in Nablus, West Bank

The IDF demolished the home of Osama Tawil in the West Bank town of Nablus on Wednesday night, according to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.

Tawil is one of the terrorists who murdered IDF soldier St.-Sgt. Ido Baruch last October.

Clashes developed after the IDF entered Nablus to begin the demolishment process and a gunfight ensued, during which explosive devices were thrown at the IDF soldiers. The IDF responded with crowd dispersal measures and by opening fire.

Multiple Palestinians were injured and at least one man was killed in the exchange of fire, according to Kan citing Palestinian media reports. 

Baruch was killed in October 2022

St.-Sgt. Ido Baruch, a soldier in the Givati Brigade, was shot and killed by Tawil and another terrorist on October 11, 2022, near Shavei Shomron in the northern West Bank.

צה"ל פועל בשכם להריסת בית המחבל שהיה מעורב בפיגוע בו נפל לוחם סיירת גבעתי סמ"ר עידו ברוך | לידיעה המלאה >> https://t.co/s5zkQV6X2h@ItayBlumental pic.twitter.com/XvqkPeeR0Y

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) June 14, 2023

The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), together with the IDF, located the apartment where the terrorists were hiding.

Tawil was arrested in February in a military operation in Nablus in which three Palestinians were killed.

“The soldiers raided the apartment where the terrorists were hiding in the heart of Nablus, and when the terrorists opened fire at them, the soldiers responded by opening fire and neutralizing them and detaining them,” Golani Reconnaissance Unit Capt. Yonatan Ron said at the time. 

On June 7, Israeli forces entered Ramallah and demolished the home of the terrorist behind the November Jerusalem bus stop bombings. In the ensuing clashes at least three Palestinians were injured by Israeli fire.

Tzvi Joffre contributed to this story.