By Xinhua
Ramallah : Israeli army on Wednesday assassinated a senior Islamic Jihad commander near the West Bank city of Jenin and arrested four of his colleagues, security sources and witnesses said.
According to residents, more than 60 Israeli army vehicles, backed by bulldozers, stormed Qabatia town, to the south of Jenin, and surrounded a house where Walid al-Abidi, 40, and his colleagues were holed up.
Clashes sparked between the militants and the Israeli soldiers. The witnesses said that al-Abidi refused to surrender, opened the door of the house and came out to attack the soldiers who directly hit him.
Two of al-Abidi’s colleagues were injured and arrested alongside two unharmed gunmen.
Al-Abidi is the leader of the al-Quds Brigades, the movement’s armed wing, in the West Bank and he has been wanted by Israel since more than seven years ago.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army detained 25 Palestinians from various West Bank cities, mainly Nablus, saying they were also wanted for participating in attacks against Israel.
In the Gaza Strip, 19 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday during an Israeli army operation in eastern and northern Gaza City.