IDF troops. Photo: Israel Defense Forces.

JNS.org – Israeli security forces operating in the Jenin Palestinian refugee camp on Saturday killed Hamza Abu al-Hija, a Hamas terrorist defined by Israeli defense officials as a “ticking time bomb.” Two other Palestinian gunmen were killed in the operation and seven others were wounded. Two Israeli policemen were lightly wounded.

A joint military, Shin Bet security agency, and police counterterrorism SWAT team raided the refugee camp seeking to arrest al-Hija, who was believed to have been in the final stages of planning a major terror attack. He opened fire on the troops, who returned fire and killed him, Israel Hayom reported.

According to a senior officer with the Israel Defense Forces Judea and Samaria Division, security forces had credible intelligence suggesting al-Hija, 22, was planning an imminent shooting attack against Israeli security forces and civilians residing in the area.