(Communicated by the Prime Minister’s Office)

In a joint IDF and ISA operation yesterday (Thursday), 27 December 2007, several attacks were carried out in the central Gaza Strip. Muhammad Abdullah, a senior Islamic Jihad terrorist, was killed and three others were injured.

Abdullah, 43, resident of Wadi Gaza (Hamuhraka), was a senior leader of the Islamic Jihad in central Gaza and was in charge of weapons manufacturing, in particular Kassam rockets and mortar shells. These rockets and mortars are being launched on a daily basis at IDF forces and at Israeli communities in the western Negev. Abdullah was involved in the planning and execution of terrorist attacks on the Israeli home front that were thwarted by IDF forces. Abdullah also planned attacks against IDF forces, including an attempted attack on the Marmurek IDF post in September 2007.

Prior to the attack in which Abdullah was killed, the forces identified hitting two other Islamic Jihad terrorists who were equipped with weapons given to them by Abdullah and other Islamic Jihad operatives.