Israeli military operation in Nablus ends; three dead and 49 Palestinians abducted

Friday September 21, 2007 23:16 by Ameen Abu Warda, Saed Bannoura, Nisreen Qumsieh - IMEMC News

The Israeli army on Friday declared an end to the military operation in el-Ein refugee camp in Nablus after three consecutive days of attack. 

The Israeli military reported that they kidnapped 49 Palestinians, claiming each were on Israel’s so-called “wanted list.” Local residents reported that military vehicles withdrew from the camp in the early hours of Friday morning, leaving the area through the Beit Iba and Huwara checkpoints.

The operation caused huge damage in the area, and led to the murder of two Palestinian civilians, among them one disabled man.  During three days of fighting, one Israeli soldier was killed by Palestinian Resistance Fighters.

A senior leader of the al-Qassam brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, identified as Nihad Shqerat, was kidnapped during the three days of siege.  An Israeli military source stated that Shqeirat ran the infrastructure of the Al Qassam brigades in Nablus area.  Israeli soldiers also demolished the house of Shqeirat three years ago.

Eyewitnesses reported that Shqeirat exchanged fire with Israeli soldiers for several hours and when he ran out of ammunition he attempted to escape from a house he barricaded himself in, but the soldiers managed to surround and kidnap him.

Hamas sources reported that Shqeirat was previously imprisoned by Israel for several years, and that his brother Anad carried a suicide bombing in Jenin area when he detonated an explosive belt strapped around his waist as he approached an Israeli military roadblock in 2002; three soldiers were injured.

Elsewhere, the Israeli army kidnapped two senior leaders of the al-Aqsa brigades, the armed wing of Fatah, both of whom had been on Israel’s so-called amnesty list. The two men were released several hours later.

nablus | israeli attacks | news report