Four Palestinians were killed in ongoing IDF operations in the West Bank on Tuesday. In the afternoon, the IDF shot and killed an Al Aksa Martyrs' Brigades operative and his cousin, according to Palestinian doctors and security officials. Palestinian sources said that the soldiers involved in the shooting were part of an IDF undercover force. The army reported that a special unit had fired on two gunmen in a car after they refused to halt when ordered. One of the gunmen, Adel Abu Reish, was a high-ranking Fatah operative that had carried out shooting attacks and planted bombs in the area, the army said. Earlier in the afternoon, IDF forces discovered a 12-meter-deep smuggling tunnel under the Philadelphi route between Egypt and the southern Gaza Strip. Two pits, most likely the initial stages of future tunnels, were also found during the operation. The IDF has found 15 smuggling tunnels since the end of June, when the army intensified activity in the Gaza Strip following the kidnapping of Cpl. Gilad Shalit. Tunnels of this nature have been used for smuggling weapons and terrorists, as well as illegal immigrants. Tunnels were also used to conduct underground bombings against IDF bases in Rafah and the Erez Crossing.
Earlier Tuesday afternoon, IDF soldiers fired at two Palestinians who were throwing stones at the troops, killing one and seriously wounding the other, Palestinian sources said. The dead was identified as Hani Khalil Kmeil, 20, who was shot in the chest, and the wounded as Mohammed Kmeil, 16, who was shot in the neck.
Earlier Tuesday, IDF troops were fired upon by two Palestinian operatives while conducting a routine patrol. The troops returned fire, killing one of the men, the IDF said. The man, a member of Islamic Jihad, was identified as Mohammed Zakarneh, 18. No IDF casualties were reported as a result of the incident.
Also on Tuesday morning, a terrorist who infiltrated the Mitzpe Yitzhar outpost and tried to set fire to one of the homes was caught by a local security patrol after a brief chase. The man was detained by security forces for interrogation. Yitzhar spokesman Yigal Amitai said that the infiltration had occurred due to the olive harvest. "It's no wonder that with the large numbers of soldiers and police working to 'protect the poor Palestinians,' a terrorist [managed] to infiltrate Mitzpe Yitzhar and try to hurt people and cause damage." Amitai called the infiltration a "warning," and said that the IDF must "come to its senses" before it was too late.
The infiltration came on the heels of a number of violent incidents between Palestinians and the IDF. Palestinians hurled rocks at Israeli citizens in two seperate incidents over the course of the day, lightly wounding three people in Bethlehem and Jenin.