The Shin Bet thwarted a West Bank terrorist cell organized by Palestinians from the Gaza Strip that planned to carry out a shooting attack in Jerusalem in the coming days, the agency announced on Tuesday.
According to the Israel security agency, two operatives from the Popular Resistance Committees terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip headed the establishment of the cell: Iman Youssef Khalil Zakot and Zabri Mohammad Zabri Aram, both from Rafah.The Shin Bet was monitoring the cell from the moment the Gaza terrorists began planning it and revealed it once it came close to carrying out attacks.
How the Shin Bet took down a Palestinian terror cell
Zakot and Aram worked to recruit young Palestinians in the West Bank and provided them with training and instructions to carry out terrorist attacks against Israelis. They also worked to transfer weapons to the cell.
The Shin Bet stressed that it considers Hamas to be responsible for all terrorist activity originating in the Gaza Strip, and “will continue to work even harder to thwart any attempt by terrorist elements to promote terrorist activity against the State of Israel and to act resolutely against all those involved in said terrorist activity.”
Additionally, on Tuesday, the Shin Bet and IDF announced that they had arrested a terrorist cell that fired towards the settlement of Karmei Tzur in January.
Less than a week after the shooting, the IDF and Shin Bet detained three terrorist operatives from Beit Ummar: Muhammad Salibi, Rashed Alzaakik and Habib Salibi.
One of the three was also involved in several other cases of throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at Israeli vehicles and soldiers.
Charges were filed against the three at a military court in Judea. The court ordered the extension of their detention until the end of the legal proceedings in their case.
Palestinian arrested for stabbing attack in Netanya
Additionally, on Tuesday, the police announced that they arrested a Palestinian in Netanya on March 12 who conducted a stabbing attack in the city without causing injuries.
Police received a report that day about a suspicious man carrying a knife on a boulevard in Netanya. The man attempted to stab a woman in front of passersby, but only hit her coat and did not cause her any bodily injuries. The suspect was brought before a military court to have his arrest extended on Tuesday morning.