Palestinian man killed in clashes with Israeli forces in West Bank raid

Israeli security forces arrested several Palestinian terrorist suspects in Tamon and Tubas, including senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad member Ma'moun Na'eem Bani Odeh.

 IDF operating in the West Bank to arrest terror suspects, August 11, 2022.  (photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
IDF operating in the West Bank to arrest terror suspects, August 11, 2022.
(photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

A Palestinian man died of his wounds on Friday after Israeli forces shot him, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, during what Israel's military said was an early morning raid against suspected terrorists in the West Bank.

Salah Tawfiq Sawafta, 58, was shot in the head in the West Bank city of Tubas, the Palestinian ministry said. His nephew told Reuters that Sawafta was walking back home after the morning prayer when he was hit.

A video circulating on social media appeared to show Sawafta moments before he was shot. Gunshots could be heard as Sawafta, wearing the traditional jalabiya robe, rushed to take cover inside a bakery.

Israeli security forces arrest Palestinian terrorist suspects in Tamon and Tubas

Five wanted Palestinians suspected of involvement in terrorist activities and planning an attack were arrested by IDF, Border Police and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) on Thursday night in the villages of Tamon and Tubas.

 Israeli soldiers patrol the area following a flare-up of Israeli-Palestinian violence, near Tubas in Israel's West Bank, May 15, 2021. (credit: REUTERS/RANEEN SAWAFTA)
Israeli soldiers patrol the area following a flare-up of Israeli-Palestinian violence, near Tubas in Israel's West Bank, May 15, 2021. (credit: REUTERS/RANEEN SAWAFTA)

In the village of Tubas, several people threw Molotov cocktails and shot at Israeli forces who returned fire.

In addition, IDF and Shin Bet arrested two wanted Palestinians suspected of involvement in terrorist activities in the village of Hizma.

There were no casualties among Israeli forces.

"It is clear that the occupation forces are carrying out a campaign of raids and arrests targeting cadres of the resistance and the Islamic Jihad movement in the occupied West Bank."

Palestinian Islamic Jihad

The arrest of a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad member

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group said that one of its senior members, 32-year-old editor Ma'moun Na'eem Bani Odeh, was arrested during the Tamon raid.

"It is clear that the occupation forces are carrying out a campaign of raids and arrests targeting cadres of the resistance and the Islamic Jihad movement in the occupied West Bank," Palestinian Islamic Jihad said in a statement.

Earlier this month, Israeli jets pounded the Gaza Strip in Operation Breaking Dawn, which the military said was a pre-emptive attack to prevent an imminent threat to Israel from Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

At least 49 people were killed in Gaza, including civilians and children, and hundreds more were wounded during 56 hours of fighting, which also saw more than 1,000 rockets launched towards Israel by the Islamic Jihad.

Israeli forces have carried out near-daily raids in the West Bank in recent months after Palestinians from the area carried out deadly street attacks in Israel as part of Operation Break the Wave.