Initial investigation of the deadly terror attack on Tuesday in Bnei Brak revealed the gunman Diaa Hamarsheh, used an M-16 automatic rifle, which was likely smuggled across the border from Egypt or Jordan by arms smugglers from Israel or the West Bank.
The security agencies were probing whether the rifle was adapted by the smugglers, as was often the case when weapons were sold in the Arab sector in Israel and in arms sales to Palestinians.
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IDF forces enter West Bank village of Y'abed, home of Bnei Brak gunman
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
The adaptation caused the gun to stall numerous times, no doubt saving many lives.
Security forces suspect the Hamarsheh arrived at the scene in a car with Israeli license plates and began firing. The car, a Honda Civic may have been stolen or delivered to the gunman by an Israeli accomplice.
He did not appear to be familiar with the location and seemed to have spontaneously chosen the Bnei Brak location.
The investigators were acting on the assumption that Hamarsheh was assisted by others in crossing into Israel and was given his weapon after his crossing but had operated alone during his attack.
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Diaa Hamarsheh as he carries out his terror attack in Bnei Brak on Tuesday
(Photo: Rian Preus )
Israeli forces on Wednesday raided his home town and arrested at least five members of his family there and two others in a nearby village.
Among the seven who had been transferred to the Shin Bet for further investigations, were his brother and uncle, considered a local senior Hamas operative.
The military mapped Hamarsheh's home ahead of demolition.
He himself was affiliated with the Islamic Jihad and previously with the Fatah organization. He had been imprisoned for six months in 2013 for involvement in arms sales and planning terror attacks.
Y'abed, Hamarsheh's home town near Jenin is considered a hub of illegal arms trade, with weapons involved in terror attacks in recent years.
The IDF was preparing to arrest more suspects in their efforts to prevent further attacks.
First published: 13:22, 03.30.22