Senior
Hamas Terrorist Shihab Na’atsha
Killed in Arrest Operation
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IDF
forces during arrest operation.
IDF
Photo
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(IDF) Tonight
in Hebron, Shihab Na’atsha, a senior operative of the Hamas terror
organization in the city and among the designers of the double
terror attack in Dimona about half a year ago, was killed by IDF
forces during an arrest operation.
IDF, Border
Police and ISA forces carried out a joint operation this evening
in Hebron to arrest wanted persons. During the attempted arrest
of Na’atsha, Hamas terror operatives opened fire and launched
explosive devices at the forces. The apartment where the terror
operative was located housed explosives that were intended
to be used in terror attacks.
Shihab Abad
El Eziz Mahmed Na’atsha was jailed in Israel for his involvement
in terror attacks, which included the manufacturing of explosive
devices. He was released from prison in June 2006. A sort while
after his release he returned to his activities with Hamas.
A number of months ago, Shihab Na’atsha was wanted because
of his involvement in the planning of the double suicide terror
attack in Dimona that occurred last February, where two terrorists
detonated explosive belts in the commercial and central district
of the city. The terror attack killed an Israeli civilian and
wounded dozens of other civilians, one of whom was wounded
severely.
Since the
terror attack in Dimona, the ISA carried out an intense investigation
of Na’atsha’s collaborators and additional terror infrastructure
members in order to secure his arrest. During the investigation
it became known that Shihab Na’atsha was the manufacturer of
the explosive belts that were used in the Dimona attack.
The
ISA’s most recent investigation raised much information
regarding Shihab Na’atsha’s prominent standing and activities
in the Hamas terror organization, and information about Hamas’s
infrastructure in Hebron. Information arose that Na’atsha was
working on terror attacks on Israeli territory. Senior Hamas
operatives, who operated with Na’atsha, were also released
after having been jailed in Israel for prior crimes.