Hamas issued an official statement mourning an individual killed in an Israeli operation in Jenin overnight and condemning Israel, according to The Zioneer. The statement follows a reported elimination in the Jenin area.
Hamas issued an official statement Friday afternoon mourning the elimination of Fathi Hazem, who was killed by Israeli security forces in Jenin overnight Thursday, and condemning Israel, according to The Zioneer. The statement, released after initial reports had circulated for hours, did not provide further details on the target. Such condolence announcements are routine for Hamas following Israeli counter-terror operations in Judea and Samaria.
The elimination occurred during an IDF arrest operation in Jenin late Thursday night, in which Hazem attacked soldiers with a knife and was shot and killed. As The Zioneer reported in multiple updates beginning Friday morning (Fri 06:33 Jerusalem), the IDF confirmed that Hazem was the father of Ra'ad Hazem, the terrorist who murdered three Israelis in the 2022 Dizengoff Street shooting attack in Tel Aviv. Further reporting identified Hazem as a former colonel in the Palestinian Authority security forces who defected to terrorism and founded the Jenin Battalion, a coalition of terror factions in northern Samaria. He had refused Israeli summonses for questioning and publicly praised his son's attack. The IDF noted that no soldiers were injured in the incident.
Hazem had been a prominent figure in the refugee camp battalions in northern Samaria, becoming a symbol for terror operatives after his son's death. As The Zioneer has reported in past coverage, Hamas routinely issues official statements of mourning for operatives killed in Israeli operations, using such announcements to propagate its narrative. The statement released this afternoon follows this established pattern and includes no operational detail beyond condemnation of Israel.
No further details were provided in the Hamas statement, and the IDF has not issued a separate response.
5 developments
- DevelopingIDF carries out targeted strike on Hamas operative in Jenin
- DevelopingHamas issues condolence message; Yair Goldblatt comments
- StrongIDF confirms targeted strike on Hamas vehicle in Khan Younis, two operatives killed
- StrongIsraeli authorities: Senior Hamas figure Qais Bitawi killed in intelligence-led operation
Source and signal
- Open-source intake