Israel captures terror cell behind attempted mass shooting near Jericho

Israeli security forces on Sunday night arrested the terrorist cell responsible for an attempted mass shooting at a restaurant near Jericho last month, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Israeli forces came under fire during the arrest raid in Aqbat Jaber, a refugee camp just south of Jericho, and returned fire, killing an unspecified number of gunmen, the IDF said in a statement.

It was the second raid in as many days, after Israeli forces failed to locate the cell during an operation on Saturday. Israeli forces came under fire during Saturday’s operation as well, and several Palestinian gunmen were neutralized, according to the statement. Eighteen suspects were detained for questioning, six of whom were arrested.

On Jan. 28, two armed men armed with an assault rifle and bulletproof vests approached the Me Casa Restaurant near the Israeli town of Vered Yericho, but managed to fire only a single shot before their weapon jammed, the IDF said.

The IDF, in conjunction with the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), launched a manhunt, tracking the terrorists to Aqbat Jaber, which lies just to the north of Vered Yericho, where they were believed to be hiding with the help of local residents and family members, and planning additional attacks.

The IDF said on Monday that it would “continue to act to thwart any attempt by terrorist organizations and operatives, wherever they may be, to promote terrorist activity against the State of Israel, its citizens and residents.”