(Communicated by the IDF Spokesperson)

Ali Ismail Ahmed Sawiti, a wanted member of the Hamas terrorist organization was killed during a joint IDF-Border Police-ISA arrest operation in the village of Beit 'Awwa, south of Hebron, last night (25 April 2010).

A force surrounded the building in which Sawiti was hiding and called on him to surrender. Sawiti refused and opened fire at the forces, who than used engineering tools in addition to firing at the building's exterior wall, in order to cause him to surrender. The terrorist continued to fire at the force, and was ultimately killed.

Sawiti, born in 1968, a resident of Beit 'Awwa, was a member of a Hamas terror squad. He executed five shooting attacks and an explosive device attack between 1999-2004.

Border Policeman Yaniv Mashiah was killed in one of the shooting attacks six years ago. Two additional border policemen were injured in the attack. Sawiti escaped an attempted arrest in February 2007.

Sawiti was a member of the Jahad Mahmad Ismail Sawiti terror squad. Jahad, a Hamas member, executed several attacks which killed Israeli civilians. He was killed by IDF forces in 2004. Ali Sawiti was recruited to Hamas in 2002 and  immediately began planning shooting attacks against Israeli civilians. His involvement in terrorism continued after Jahad Sawiti was killed.

Ali Sawiti is responsible for the following terror attacks:

• October 3, 2000: Shooting at an Israeli vehicle traveling near Shekef, west of Hebron. 
• November 13, 2003: Shooting at an Israeli vehicle traveling near the Idhna Junction.
• December 18, 2003: Shooting at an Israeli vehicle traveling near the Idhna Junction.
• April 25, 2004: Ali Sawiti and other members of his squad executed a shooting attack in the area of Idhna Jnction. The attack killed a Border Policeman. Two additional border policemen were injured.