Three Palestinians were killed overnight Sunday during an exchange of fire with Israeli forces in Balata near Nablus in Samaria, according to Palestinian sources.
The Palestinian Authority Health Ministry identified the fatalities as Mohammad Bilal Zeitoun, 32, Fathi Jihad Rizq, 30 and Abdullah Yousef Abu Hamdan, 24.
The Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, which is linked to P.A. leader Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah faction, claimed the three as members and said they were killed while battling Israeli forces.
An officer was lightly hurt during the raid, the Israel Defense Forces said. He was treated for a shrapnel wound and released from hospital.
Three Palestinian suspects were arrested, and several M-16 rifles were confiscated, along with ammunition and other military equipment, according to the military.
Additionally, Israeli forces destroyed a bomb laboratory containing tens of kilograms of explosives.
הלוחמים עצרו שלושה מבוקשים החשודים במעורבות בפעילות טרור והחרימו שלושה נשקים מסוג M-16, תחמושת, ציוד צבאי וחלקי נשק. בנוסף, איתרו הכוחות באחת הדירות מעבדת מטעני נפץ ובה עשרות קילוגרמים של חומרי נפץ שהיו אמורים לשמש לביצוע פיגועים. המעבדה הושמדה על ידי כוחות מיחידת יהל"ם>> pic.twitter.com/EaIV9U0Z3Q
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) May 22, 2023
Three terror suspects were also arrested in a separate operation in Jenin, during which Palestinian gunmen engaged Israeli forces, according to the IDF
Seven additional terror suspects were arrested across Judea and Samaria.
Earlier on Sunday, an Israeli soldier was lightly injured in a car-ramming attack in the Palestinian-controlled village of Huwara, located near Nablus.
The Israeli military launched a search for the terrorist, who fled the scene.
The victim was evacuated in stable condition to Rabin Medical Center’s Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva.
