Senior Fatah Terrorist Captured in Tulkarm by IDF, Shin Bet

IDF forces from the elite Duvdevan undercover unit, operating under the Ephraim Brigade and guided by Shin Bet intelligence, conducted a special counter-terrorism operation in Tulkarm on Monday.

Following weeks of intelligence and operational tracking, security forces arrested Muhammad Ibrahim Awwad Shahada, identified as a senior Fatah terrorist operative in Tulkarm.

The terrorist had been wanted in recent weeks after being suspected of involvement in terror activity, planning and executing attacks, and trafficking in weapons. The operational activity was carried out after prolonged Shin Bet intelligence surveillance of the wanted man's activities, identifying him as posing a concrete threat to security forces and civilians in the area.

Duvdevan unit forces, the IDF's elite undercover unit, operated in close coordination with additional forces in the region. The fighters arrived at the wanted man's hiding place with precise timing, executed the arrest without incident, and transferred the suspect for in-depth interrogation by security officials.

The Tulkarm operation joins a long series of operational missions carried out by IDF and Shin Bet forces in recent weeks throughout Judea and Samaria. The IDF's undercover units operate continuously to prevent attacks and arrest wanted terrorists. The IDF emphasized that the arrest was carried out with the aim of removing the immediate threat the terrorist posed to security forces and Israeli citizens.

An IDF spokesperson stated: "Security forces will continue to operate with initiative and offensively to thwart terrorism throughout the Judea and Samaria Division to protect the security of residents in the region and citizens of the State of Israel." The arrested suspect was transferred for continued handling by security forces, and is expected to be interrogated about his actions and his connections with additional terror elements in the area.