Security forces arrest Hamas cell that committed October 1 attack in which parents of four were murdered
(Communicated by the ISA Spokesperson)
The following has been released for publication:
Following an intelligence and operational effort to locate those involved in the October 1 shooting attack at an Israeli vehicle near Itamar [in the Nablus area] in which Rabbi Eitam Henkin and his wife Naama were murdered while traveling with their four young children, the ISA, IDF and Israel Police have arrested members of the cell that perpetrated the attack. The detainees have been transferred for investigation by the ISA and have admitted their involvement in the murder of the Henkins.
The cell – affiliated with Hamas in Nablus – numbered five terrorists, each of which had a defined role. One terrorist checked the route. Three terrorists were in the attacking vehicle – a driver and two attackers. The cell commander was not in the vehicle. Several additional suspects have been arrested on suspicion of aiding the cell.
The cell commander was Raeb Ahmed Muhammad Alivi, born in 1978, and active in Hamas's military wing. He recruited the members of the cell, instructed them and provided them with weapons.
The cell included the following Hamas members, all residents of Nablus:
Yehye Muhammad Naif Abdallah Haj Hamed, born in 1991; he carried out the shooting in this attack and has been active in others.
Samir Zahir Ibrahim Kusa, born in 1982; he drove the attacking vehicle.
Kerem Lutfy Fathi Razek, born in 1992; he set out on the attack armed with a pistol but was mistakenly wounded by his colleague while carrying out the attack.
Zid Ziad Jamil Amar, born in 1989; he checked the route.
Cell members said that on the evening of the attack, two of them traveled on the route and selected the point from which they would open fire. Afterwards they collected the other members, one of which checked the route. Upon hearing that the route was clear, the cell set out, identified the Henkins' vehicle and opened fire. After the Henkins' vehicle stopped, two cell members left their vehicle and fired again from very close range,
During the shooting, one of the cell members was accidentally shot by one of his colleagues and dropped his pistol, which was left at the scene and found by Israeli forces. After carrying out the shooting, the terrorists fled toward Nablus.
The cell members also said that they had been involved in two shooting attacks in recent weeks, neither of which resulted in casualties, including the 30 August attack near the entrance to Kedumim.
The investigation of the cell members is continuing.