IDF kills five terrorists in West Bank operation, discovers explosives lab in mosque

Five terrorists who were hiding inside a mosque were killed during a joint IDF, ISA, and Israeli Border Police counterterrorism operation in Tulkarm on Thursday, the IDF announced. Other terrorists were arrested.

One of the terrorists killed was Muhhamad Jabber, "Abu Shujaa," the head of a terrorist network in Nur Shams, who was involved in the shooting attack that led to the murder of an Israeli civilian, Amnon Muchtar, in June, the IDF added. 

The IDF also arrested a wanted Islamic Jihad terrorist in a refugee camp in Tulkarm on Wednesday night, Army Radio posted on X.

Muhammad Qassas is reportedly a senior terrorist operative in the Al Quds Brigade of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and was arrested while hiding in a mosque.

According to Palestinian reports, the IDF soldiers entered the refugee camp dressed in civilian clothes and proceeded to enter the mosque. Army Radio and Arab media reported that a shootout took place between terrorists and IDF, during which multiple terrorists were killed.

During the operation, a Border Police soldier was lightly wounded and evacuated for further medical treatment.

The IDF also discovered a laboratory for the manufacture of explosive devices and a terrorist operations room while searching inside the Abu Bakr al Siddiq Mosque in the Jordan Valley, IDF Arabic Spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote on X early on Thursday morning. 

The lab was discovered during IDF activities to thwart terrorism in the Far'a camp in the Jordan Valley.

#عاجل خلال الأنشطة لاحباط الإرهاب في مخيم الفارعة في الأغوار تم العثور على غرفة عمليات ومختبر لصناعة العبوات الناسفة تم اخفائهما داخل مسجد أبو بكر الصديق حيث استخدمهما المخربون لتنفيذ أعمال إرهابية ضد قوات جيش الدفاع. العبوات الخطيرة للاستخدام أو حتى للتحريك شكلت تهديدًا على… pic.twitter.com/mbfi1caZ6L

— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) August 28, 2024

Terrorists had used the mosque as a base to carry out terrorist attacks against IDF forces, Adraee said.

IDF defuses immediate threat to civilian and military lives

While searching the facility, the IDF found explosive devices which it deemed "too dangerous to use or even move."

Assessing the situation and perceiving an immediate threat to IDF forces and civilians near the mosque, the IDF said it took the decision to immediately destroy the devices," the spokesperson stated.

No damage was sustained to the prayer hall as a result of the explosives' destruction, however a fire broke out. The fire was extinguished.