PNN – Hebrew-language media have released new details regarding the operation in Hebron, while Palestinian factions have described it as a blow to Israel.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network; media outlets of the Zionist regime have published fresh details concerning the armed operation that took place in Hebron on Friday morning. Palestinian groups have characterized the event as a blow to the Israeli regime’s security apparatus.
The Israeli network “Kan” reported that the two individuals who carried out the operation were residents of Hebron and appear to have had links to the Hamas movement. Hebrew sources identified them as Hamoudeh al-Ja’bah and Firas al-Ja’bah. According to a correspondent for Israel’s Army Radio, both men were 27 years old, belonged to the same family, resided in Hebron, were married, and each had two children.
Citing preliminary investigations, the Hebrew-language outlet “Walla” reported that two Palestinian fighters set an ambush for Israeli soldiers, opening fire as the troops approached. Israel Army Radio further stated that the two individuals arrived at the “Yehuda” junction in Hebron around 7:30 a.m., where forces from the “Ari” unit—affiliated with the Home Front Command—were inspecting vehicles leaving the city.
According to this account, the two operatives arrived at a temporary checkpoint in a vehicle; after dismounting, they took up positions in the vicinity—armed with an M4 rifle and a handgun—and opened fire on the military personnel.
The clash lasted for over 20 minutes, involving a heavy exchange of fire that resulted in injuries to several Israeli soldiers. Subsequently, several military commanders—including a company commander, a deputy battalion commander, and an officer from the 101st Paratrooper Battalion—arrived at the scene; the two operatives were killed by the end of the engagement.
The Israeli military claimed to have discovered a large quantity of ammunition in the vehicle used by the two individuals, stating that they had intended to reach Route 35 to carry out a larger-scale operation.
However, the occupying army of the Zionist regime acknowledged that it had received no specific warning regarding this operation, nor did it possess any intelligence concerning a threat in the Hebron area or along Route 35.
Following the operation, forces of the occupying regime raided the city of Hebron and the homes of the Al-Ja’bah family, and closed the Ibrahimi Mosque. The occupying forces also removed staff and attendants affiliated with the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs from the Ibrahimi Mosque, barring them from the premises.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Zionist regime’s Minister of Internal Security, arrived at the scene of the operation and called for the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority. He further demanded the establishment of additional checkpoints and the denial of free movement to Palestinians.
Following this operation, Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled his scheduled election campaign event at the Mahane Yehuda Market in occupied Jerusalem; Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported that he has ordered preparations for a complete blockade of the West Bank.
Reaction from Palestinian Groups
In response to the operation, the Palestinian Resistance Committees stated: This operation has dealt a fresh blow to the security, military, and intelligence apparatus of the Zionist regime, once again demonstrating the vulnerability of these structures when faced with Palestinian fighters.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) praised the Hebron operation, describing it as a natural response to the crimes of the occupiers, and offered condolences on the martyrdom of those who carried out the operation.
The Hamas movement stated: The Hebron operation sends a clear message to the Zionist enemy that our resistance continues, and that its strength and fury will only grow until the occupiers are driven from our land and our holy sites.
Hamas characterized the operation as a “living embodiment of the will of the resilient Palestinian people” and a “natural and legitimate response” to Israel’s ongoing crimes and assaults against the Palestinian people, their land, and their holy sites in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem, as well as the continued aggression against the people of Gaza.
Saraya al-Quds, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, also stated in a declaration: We commend the heroic operation in the city of Hebron and salute the free heroes who engaged the enemy with the utmost courage, delivering a harsh lesson to the Zionist soldiers on the battlefield.
The statement added: This operation was carried out as a natural and legitimate response to the crimes of the Zionist enemy, the terrorism committed by settlers against our people in the West Bank and its camps, as well as the genocidal war and starvation in the Gaza Strip.
Saraya al-Quds has called upon all brave fighters and revolutionaries among the Palestinian people—across the cities and refugee camps of the West Bank—to intensify direct conflict and confrontation with the occupying military forces and Zionist settlers using every available means; for the enemy understands only the language of force.
The city of Hebron, the most populous city in the West Bank, has long been a focal point of conflict between Palestinians and Zionist settlers. The presence of several Zionist settlements within and on the outskirts of the city, combined with the stringent security measures imposed by the Zionist regime, has consistently led to sporadic clashes.
Yehuda Junction: An area in Hebron where a temporary military checkpoint manned by the Zionist regime’s forces was located, and where the operation took place.
Route 35: One of the main roads in the West Bank connecting Hebron to other regions; the Israeli army claimed that the perpetrators of the operation intended to reach this road.
Ibrahimi Mosque (Haram al-Ibrahimi): One of the holiest sites for both Muslims and Jews in Hebron. Following the operation, forces of the Zionist regime closed the site and expelled the staff affiliated with the Palestinian Waqf (Endowments) administration.