Israeli security forces launched a robust counter-terrorism operation early Thursday in the Nur al-Shams refugee camp, near Tulkarem, as part of an intensified effort to dismantle terrorist networks in Samaria. During the operation, Israeli aircraft engaged and neutralized an armed militant cell that had opened fire on Israeli forces. The pre-dawn raid followed another successful counter-terrorism strike just hours earlier, when elite special forces neutralized a senior Hamas operative actively planning imminent attacks against Israeli civilians.
Israel's decisive action underscores its ongoing commitment to protecting citizens and dismantling terrorist infrastructures embedded within these high-risk areas. The operation led to the deaths of two Palestinians, whom Israel identified as confirmed militants. Predictably, the Palestinian health ministry countered, reporting the deceased as "children," despite the tendency within Palestinian reports to label any militants under 25 as “youths” or “children” in an effort to provoke international condemnation. This manipulation of terms has become a hallmark of Palestinian propaganda tactics, aiming to demonize Israeli defense actions and obscure the nature of those killed.
IDF forces are operating in Nur Shams (Tulkarm) this morning pic.twitter.com/DLMgSwhMH5
— Documenting Israel (@DocumentIsrael) October 31, 2024
Meanwhile, another incident overnight in the Tulkarem camp saw a Palestinian combatant shot and killed during armed resistance against the Israeli army, which was conducting simultaneous operations to target “terrorist infrastructure” in the region.
As part of its standard inflammatory language, the official Palestinian news agency, WAFA, which operates as a mouthpiece for Fatah, framed the Israeli forces’ entry into the area as a “storming” of the city, a term designed to enrage Islamists and rally opposition. Israel’s security measures involved a coordinated use of armored vehicles and heavy bulldozers, essential in navigating the urban fortifications built by terror organizations within the camp.
#BREAKING: IDF announces an ongoing counter-terror operation in Nur Shams. Overnight, an IDF aircraft struck an armed terrorist cell that fired on Israeli forces, following the elimination of senior Hamas operative Hussam Malah, who was planning imminent attacks.
— Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) October 31, 2024
Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, boasted of attempting to halt the operation, claiming to have detonated a “highly explosive” device against an Israeli bulldozer. However, Israeli forces maintained operational momentum and proceeded with the mission, undeterred by the attempted IED attack.
This latest operation highlights Israel’s resolve to preempt terror plots, dismantle militant cells, and ensure security in the face of ongoing threats. The incident exemplifies the contrast between Israeli transparency in military objectives and the routine exaggeration from Palestinian authorities, particularly from factions that thrive on fostering misinformation to sustain their hostile stance against Israel.
