IDF troops eliminated Fathi Khazem overnight Friday in Jenin after he attempted to stab a soldier during a counter-terror operation. Khazem, a former colonel in the Palestinian Authority security forces, was the founder of the Jenin Battalion and the father of the terrorist who murdered three Israelis in the 2022 Dizengoff Street attack in Tel Aviv.
Overnight Friday, forces from the IDF Paratroopers Brigade’s Battalion 890 operated in Jenin, Judea and Samaria, targeting terrorists involved in incitement and attack plots. During the operation, Fathi Khazem—a former colonel in the Palestinian Authority security forces—attempted to stab an IDF soldier with a knife and was neutralized. As The Zioneer first reported at 06:33 Jerusalem on Friday, Khazem was identified as the father of the terrorist who murdered three Israelis in the April 2022 Dizengoff Street attack in Tel Aviv. No Israeli casualties were reported.
The Zioneer’s reporting on the elimination evolved through the day. Initial reports at 06:33 confirmed that Khazem was killed during a stabbing attempt and that Palestinian media had identified him. Within the same hour, additional thread items detailed that Khazem was a former PA colonel who had defected to terror and founded the Jenin Battalion. By 12:13 Jerusalem, The Zioneer further reported that Khazem had become a symbol of steadfastness for terror operatives in northern Samaria and was eliminated in the village of Telafit while attempting to stab troops. The IDF later confirmed his involvement in incitement and weapons smuggling for the Jenin terror infrastructure that was dismantled in Operation Iron Wall.
Khazem, also known as Fathi Zidan Hazam, was a former PA colonel who turned to leading terror activities. He founded the Jenin Battalion, a coalition of terror factions in northern Samaria. As The Zioneer reported, Khazem was also the father of Abd Hazam, who perpetrated a shooting attack at the Jalame crossing. For years he was a central figure of incitement in Jenin, refusing to surrender and publicly praising his son’s attack. The Jenin area has been a focus of sustained IDF counter-terror operations, including Operation Iron Wall and, as The Zioneer reported on Aug 13, the foiling of a terrorist cell that plotted to assassinate Defense Minister Israel Katz.
It remains unclear whether the broader operation in Jenin resulted in additional arrests. The military stated the mission aimed to arrest and interrogate terrorists advancing attack plots. No further details on the status of that objective have been released.
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