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Israeli forces kill two Palestinians suspected of murdering teenagers Israeli forces kill two Palestinians suspected of murdering teenagers
(about 2 hours later)
Israeli forces have killed two Palestinians suspected of the kidnap and murder of three Israeli teenagers three months ago, an event which triggered a sequence of actions leading to the 50-day war in Gaza. Thousands of mourners have attended the funerals of two Palestinian men suspected of the kidnap and murder of three Israeli teenagers three months ago, an event that triggered a sequence of actions leading to the 50-day war in Gaza.
The two men, Marwan Qawasmeh, 29, and Amer Abu Aisha, 32, were Hamas members, said the Israel Defence Forces. They died in an exchange of fire before dawn on Tuesday after the IDF fired a rocket at a house in Hebron, in the West Bank, where they had been hiding. Three other men were arrested. Marwan Qawasmeh, 29, and Amer Abu Aisha, 32, were shot dead in a pre-dawn gunfight on Tuesday with Israeli special forces who had fired a rocket at a house in Hebron, in the West Bank, where the pair had been hiding. Three other men were arrested.
Only one was confirmed dead by the Israeli military. IDF spokesman Peter Lerner said the second suspect fell backward in a hail of fire and was presumed dead, although the body had not been recovered. Clashes broke out at the men’s funerals in the volatile city, with around 20 Palestinians reported to have been injured by live fire and rubber-coated bullets. One was in a critical condition, medical officials said.
“We opened fire, they returned fire and they were killed in the exchange,” Lerner said. “We have visual confirmation for one. The second one, we have no visual confirmation, but the assumption is he was killed.” The governor of Hebron said the men had been “executed” by Israel, whose forces made no attempt to detain or interrogate them.
Palestinian officials decided to proceed with talks in Cairo on a long-term ceasefire agreement with Israel following the end of the Gaza war despite the killing of the two men. “After consultations within the Palestinian delegation and brothers in Gaza and abroad it was decided to continue the Cairo meetings,” said Mahmoud al-Zahar, adding that Israel must not be given any pretext “to escape from commitments” of last month’s truce. The killing of the men, described by the Israel Defence Forces as “Hamas terrorists”, briefly threatened to derail talks in Cairo aimed at reaching a long-term ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas following the end of the Gaza war.
“After consultations within the Palestinian delegation and brothers in Gaza and abroad it was decided to continue the Cairo meetings,” said the senior Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar, adding that Israel must not be given any pretext “to escape from commitments” of last month’s truce.
The Israeli military chief of staff, Benny Gantz, said: “On the eve of Rosh HaShanah [the Jewish new year] Operation Brother’s Keeper, which began on 13 June, has ended. We promised the Shaer, Frenkel and Yifrah families we would get the murderers of their sons, and this morning we did it.”The Israeli military chief of staff, Benny Gantz, said: “On the eve of Rosh HaShanah [the Jewish new year] Operation Brother’s Keeper, which began on 13 June, has ended. We promised the Shaer, Frenkel and Yifrah families we would get the murderers of their sons, and this morning we did it.”
Israeli forces had been hunting the suspects since the Israeli teenagers’ abduction on 12 June. The bodies of Eyal Yifrah, 19, Gilad Shaar and Naftali Frenkel, both 16, were found on 1 July. It emerged then that security forces had believed since the time of the abduction that the youths were dead. Israeli forces had been hunting the suspects since the teenagers were abducted on 12 June. The bodies of Eyal Yifrah, 19, Gilad Shaar and Naftali Frenkel, both 16, were found on 1 July. It emerged then that security forces had believed since the time of the abduction that the youths were dead.
In the aftermath of the kidnapping, Israel launched an operation codenamed Brother’s Keeper, during which more than 400 Palestinians – mostly Hamas members and supporters – were arrested in the West Bank and at least five were killed. In the aftermath of the kidnapping, Israel launched an operation codenamed Brother’s Keeper, during which more than 400 Palestinians – mostly Hamas members and supporters – were arrested in the West Bank and at least five were killed. A Palestinian teenager was burned to death in a vigilante revenge killing.
Hamas in Gaza responded to the wave of arrests by firing rockets over the border into Israel. Netanyahu ordered a military offensive on Gaza on 8 July, which lasted until 26 August. At least 2,100 Palestinians, mostly civilians, were killed, and on the Israeli side 66 soldiers and six civilians died.Hamas in Gaza responded to the wave of arrests by firing rockets over the border into Israel. Netanyahu ordered a military offensive on Gaza on 8 July, which lasted until 26 August. At least 2,100 Palestinians, mostly civilians, were killed, and on the Israeli side 66 soldiers and six civilians died.
In a statement issued after Tuesday’s operation in Hebron, the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, said: “We said from the start that Hamas is responsible for the kidnapping and murder. As we gathered proof, Hamas admitted it was behind the attack.”In a statement issued after Tuesday’s operation in Hebron, the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, said: “We said from the start that Hamas is responsible for the kidnapping and murder. As we gathered proof, Hamas admitted it was behind the attack.”
Following the Israeli boys’ abduction, Netanyahu promised to make public the evidence collected by Israeli security forces that he said proved Hamas had ordered the kidnappings, but it has never been disclosed. With the death of the two Palestinian suspects, there can be no trial.Following the Israeli boys’ abduction, Netanyahu promised to make public the evidence collected by Israeli security forces that he said proved Hamas had ordered the kidnappings, but it has never been disclosed. With the death of the two Palestinian suspects, there can be no trial.
Hamas initially denied any connection to the abductions. But in August, Saleh al-Arouri, a Hamas figure living in Turkey, said Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, had imprisoned the Israeli teenagers. His claim was not supported by other Hamas officials.Hamas initially denied any connection to the abductions. But in August, Saleh al-Arouri, a Hamas figure living in Turkey, said Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, had imprisoned the Israeli teenagers. His claim was not supported by other Hamas officials.
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal later said that members may have been behind the killings, but that they were not acting on the orders of group’s political leadership. “We learned about these confessions from the Israeli investigation … Hamas political leadership was not aware of all these details,” he said.Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal later said that members may have been behind the killings, but that they were not acting on the orders of group’s political leadership. “We learned about these confessions from the Israeli investigation … Hamas political leadership was not aware of all these details,” he said.
On Tuesday, Hamas’s spokesman in Gaza, Sami Abu Zuhri, said: “Hamas praises the role martyrs Abu Aisha and Qawasmeh played in chasing down Israeli settlers and we stress that their assassination will not weaken the resistance.”On Tuesday, Hamas’s spokesman in Gaza, Sami Abu Zuhri, said: “Hamas praises the role martyrs Abu Aisha and Qawasmeh played in chasing down Israeli settlers and we stress that their assassination will not weaken the resistance.”
Meshaal’s spokesman in Qatar, Hussam Badran, praised the pair on his Twitter account. “The martyrdom of Marwan Qawasmeh and Amer Abu Aisha came after a long life full of jihad sacrifice and giving. This is the path of resistance, which we all are moving in,” he said.Meshaal’s spokesman in Qatar, Hussam Badran, praised the pair on his Twitter account. “The martyrdom of Marwan Qawasmeh and Amer Abu Aisha came after a long life full of jihad sacrifice and giving. This is the path of resistance, which we all are moving in,” he said.
The IDF said a recent breakthrough in the hunt for the two Palestinian men had led the Yamam, a special police counter-terrorism unit, to the hideout in an area of Hebron about a week ago. Early on Tuesday, Israeli special forces entered the ground floor of the two-story building and killed two Hamas operatives after coming under fire, Lerner said. The IDF said a recent breakthrough in the hunt for the two Palestinian men had led the Yamam, a special police counter-terrorism unit, to the hideout in an area of Hebron about a week ago. Early on Tuesday, Israeli special forces entered the ground floor of the two-storey building and killed two Hamas operatives after coming under fire, Lerner said.
The governor of Hebron, Kamel Hmeid, confirmed on Palestinian radio that the two were dead. The governor of Hebron, Kamel Hmeid, said the pair were killed in the Hebron University area: “We condemn this crime, this assassination, as deliberate and premeditated murder”.
“It’s clear now the two martyrs, Qawasmeh and Abu Aisha, were assassinated this morning during a military operation in the Hebron University area. We condemn this crime, this assassination, as deliberate and premeditated murder,” he said.