The Israel Defense Forces captured Friday the most wanted Hamas militant in the West Bank city of Nablus, bringing to an end a four-day operation aimed at thwarting a suicide bombing in Israel. The wanted Hamas militant, 34-year-old Nihad Shkirat, is believed to have headed a joint Hamas and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine cell in the city. According to intelligence information, the cell was planning to carry out a suicide bombing attack in central Israel during the holidays. Shkirat was detained by elite undercover IDF troops. According to Israel Radio, IDF troops have withdrawn from the West Bank city. The radio said a total of 49 wanted Palestinians were arrested by security forces in the course of the operation. In recent days, the IDF deployed large forces in the Ein Beit Ilma refugee camp in Nablus in an effort to capture the militant cell. During the operation, Staff Sergeant Ben-Zion Henman was killed, as were two Palestinians - a civilian and an armed PFLP militant.
Early Thursday morning, the IDF arrested the would-be suicide bomber in the neighborhood of Jibal Shimali, in Nablus. In the refugee camp, the IDF also arrested the person who recruited the bomber and another militant whose role was to lead the terrorist to his target. The explosive belt the terrorist was to have worn in the attack was not found.
Also Friday, the IDF struck Gaza militants who were preparing to fire mortar shells at targets in Israel. The army said the militants belong to a cell that had already fired at Israel. Palestinian sources did not report any casualties.
Meanwhile, thousands of police and volunteers were deployed Friday morning throughout Israel in preparation for Yom Kippur. The IDF imposed a full closure on the West Bank for the duration of the holiday, Israel Radio reported, in an effort to prevent possible terror attacks. As part of the closure, police and soldiers at checkpoints near the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Bethlehem turned away several thousand Palestinians who tried to enter Jerusalem for the second weekly prayers of the holy month of Ramadan.