A JIAHDI chief has been killed in a mosque shootout with Israeli troops in the West Bank, where it’s feared terrorists want to launch October 7-style attacks.
Muhhamad Jabber, also known as Abu Shujaa, was hunted down and shot dead in Tulkarm on Thursday morning.
He was said to be hiding inside the mosque with four Jihadi pals, who all met the same fate.
The quartet was believed to be involved in Jabber’s terror network.
Jabber was head of the local branch of Islamic Jihad and carried out multiple terror attacks, including one that killed an Israel citizen, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said.
The IDF said in addition to killing the five Palestinian militants, troops also captured another.
A statement said: “Jabber was also involved in the planning of additional terror attacks.
“Another terrorist operative was apprehended by the forces.”
Israeli forces thought they killed Jabber in April but he then made a surprise appearance at a funeral of another fighter only two days later.
But this time there is little doubt over the death of the terrorist commander with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad media office confirming it on Telegram.
A post said: “The Islamic Jihad movement in Palestine claims, to our people and the people of our Arab and Islamic nation, the martyrdom of the Mujahid brother Muhammad Jabber (Abu Shuja), commander of the Tulkarm Battalion of the Jerusalem Brigades, and one of its first founders.”
The firefight came a day after Israel launched a big assault on the West Bank, which it occupies, vying to weed out terrorism.
The IDF said it killed 12 terrorists on the first day of the fiery operation, staged in Jenin as well as Tulkarm, and took out dozens of explosives that were planted along roads.
Leading Hamas official Khaled Marshal warned the terrorists would “return to [suicide] operations” in the West Bank and that Israelis would face “open conflict”.
The Israeli blitz came after Foreign Minister Israel Katz sounded the alarm on Iran trying to establish another front against his nation from the West Bank.
Such a move would add to a multi-pronged puppet network already including Hamas from Gaza and Hezbollah from Lebanon.
Katz said: “We must deal with the threat just as we deal with the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents and whatever steps are required.
“This is a war for all terms and purposes and we must win it.”
A former senior Israeli minister echoed Katz’ warning and justified the West Bank assault as “self-defence activity”.
Ayelet Shaked, who served as the Minister of Interior and Minister of Justice, told BBC Israeli troops were desperately trying to prevent another October 7-style massacre, in which Hamas killed 1,200 and captured hundreds more.
Shaked said Israel had “intelligence that Hamas is losing in Gaza and they are trying to encourage Hamas terrorists” to launch attacks from the West Bank.
She added: “We are doing everything we can to protect ourselves.”
Shaked also hit back at Palestinian health officials’ claims Israeli troops were blocking medical workers during the military mission.
She said: “Israel is letting ambulances drive in the West Bank freely.”
But the United Nations branded the West Bank operation “deeply concerning”.
Secretary General Antonio Guterres said: “I strongly condemn the loss of lives, including of children, and I call for an immediate cessation of these operations.”
The European Union’s commissioner for humanitarian aid, Janez Lenarcic, claimed Israel was launching “indiscriminate use of military force and settler violence against civilians and extensive destruction of homes and infrastructure”.
He added it was “in violation of international law and human rights”.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since June 1967, when its forces captured the territory from Jordan.
