The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday that it located and eliminated two suspects in the northern West Bank village of Burqin who were wanted for murdering three Israelis during a shooting attack in Al Funduq on January 6. Israeli forces killed both terrorists after they barricaded themselves in a structure and moderately wounded a soldier.
The IDF named the suspects as Muhammad Nazzal and Katiba Shalabi, who were residents of Qabatiya and affiliated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). One member of the three-man cell remains on the run.
Following the January 6 shooting, Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack in a joint operation with PIJ and the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades. Footage of the shooting shows three gunmen near a vehicle where two Israelis were murdered. A third Israeli in another vehicle was also shot and killed in the incident.
After the deaths of Nazzal and Shalabi, Hamas issued mourning notices and posters of the pair. PIJ issued a similar statement and claimed Nazzal belonged to the group’s Qabatiya branch but did not mention Shalabi’s affiliation. FDD’s Long War Journal was not able to locate a statement by Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades about the deaths of Nazzal and Shalabi.
It’s difficult to say why both Hamas and PIJ claimed Nazzal as a member. However, on rare occasions, more than one group has covered a dead fighter with their flag or bandana. For example, Saddam Hussein Bani Odeh, who was killed by Israeli troops in 2020, had a Hamas flag and a PIJ bandana on his body during his funeral.
For the last four years, the West Bank has experienced a significant amount of violence, primarily led by Hamas, PIJ, and the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades. With Iran’s support, these armed groups have become better organized and well-armed, expanding their presence to multiple villages and cities in the northern part of the territory. Now that Israel is seemingly done fighting in Gaza, its military has a freer hand to concentrate on the persistent security challenges in the West Bank.
Hamas, Iran, PIJ, and its allies will attempt to keep the flames high in the West Bank over the foreseeable future. It’s in their interest to keep Israel busy in the territory while they rebuild from the losses suffered in the multi-front war against Israel. Decisionmakers in Jerusalem understand this challenge and will try to severely degrade terrorist groups in the West Bank before other fronts reignite in the future.
