Helena and Rafi Halevi. Murdered in bombing
Arrests in Nablus (Archive)
Photo: Reuters
IDF kills terrorist behind suicide bombing
Special IDF forces kill top al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades member Daud Katuni during night operation in Nablus. Katuni was responsible for suicide bombing in Kedumim three months ago that claimed lives of four people
IDF forces killed on Wednesday Daud Katuni, a wanted al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades senior member who was behind a terror attack in Israel.
According to the defense establishment, Katuni launched the suicide bombing that killed four people in the settlement of Kedumim three months ago.
Kedumim Blast
Efrat Weiss
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Army forces have been operating in Nablus since the beginning of the week in a bid to apprehend suspects, in wake of numerous alerts of plans to launch a terror attack in Israel from town. During a night operation of special Golani and paratroop units in Nablus, soldiers have engaged in a fire exchange with local gunmen. No injuries were reported in the incident.
In a separate incident, the troops identified two gunmen and shot at their direction, killing one of the men and wounding the other. Palestinians quickly evacuated the injured and the gunman's body from the place.
An army inspection indicated that the man killed was Katuni, a senior al-Aqsa member and one of the IDF's main targets in town. According to the defense establishment, Katuni was responsible for launching a suicide bombing three months ago, during which a terrorist blew himself up in an Israeli car at the entrance to the Kedumim settlement in Samaria. Husband and wife Rafi and Helena Halevi, National Service volunteer Reut Feldman and teen Shaked Lasker were killed in the attack.
IDF officials also claimed Katuni was planning to launch another attack into Israel about a month and-a-half ago, but that the attempt was foiled by Haruv division troops.
Nablus sources confirmed Katuni's affiliation with the al-Aqsa group, and said the man has been involved in many shooting attacks in the area.
Meanwhile, army forces also arrested 12 wanted suspects across the West bank throughout the night. All suspects were detained for questioning.
Ali Waked contributed to the report
