Dozens of armed Palestinians held a symbolic funeral late Sunday in the West Bank for the brother of a notorious terrorist, who died hours earlier following clashes with Israeli forces.
Daoud Zubeidi died early Sunday, days after being critically wounded during an Israeli raid in Jenin, according to the Israeli hospital where he was being treated.
Zubeidi is the 40-year-old brother of Zakaria Zubeidi, a jailed Palestinian militant who briefly became one of Israel's most wanted fugitives after tunneling out of a high-security prison last year. He was eventually caught and returned to prison.
"With blood and spirit we will redeem you, Daoud," the group of masked Palestinians shouted as they were displaying their weapons.
The funeral in Jenin was symbolic since Zubeidi's body has not yet been returned to his family.
The father of the terrorist who carried the deadly terror attack in Tel Aviv last month was also seen among the marchers. Fathi Hazem has been on the run from Israeli security forces since the attack.
Zubeidi was severely wounded in clashes with the IDF in the West Bank city of Jenin on Friday, during which a 47-year-old veteran of a special Israeli commando unit, Noam Raz, was also killed. He was laid to rest on Sunday.
Palestinian sources in Jenin said it was "a very difficult day for the residents of the city". According to them, Zubeidi was very socially active, and they estimate that many would attend the rallies that will be held in his memory.
Hamas also addressed his death, saying, "the crimes of Israel against the Palestinian people, the arrests and the assassinations only contribute to the strength and determination of the Palestinians in their path of resistance, while protecting their legitimate rights until the liberation of the land and the places that are holy to them".
Fatah's military wing in Jenin, the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, said that Zubeidi was one of its top officials and made it clear that "armed resistance is the way to answer Israel's crimes and the shortest path leading to the liberation of the Palestinian people".
In addition, Palestinians called to conduct a general strike in Jenin as a sign of mourning for Zubeidi's death.
Zubeidi was initially evacuated to the hospital in Jenin, where his physical state worsened and the staff advised for him to be transferred to Israel's Rambam Health Care Campus - where he was ultimately pronounced dead.