Israeli helicopters open fire from their machine guns in Qabatiya and bulldozers close internal roads

Israeli helicopters opened fire from their machine guns in open areas inside the town of Qabatiya south of Jenin on Friday evening, while occupation bulldozers began closing internal roads in the town.

This came after the Israeli army announced the start of a military operation in Qabatiya by forces from the paratroopers, Duvdevan unit, Shin Bet, and prison service to thwart what it called terrorism, following the killing of two Israelis in the operation that took place near the city of Beit She'an northeast of Israel.

The Israeli army stated in a statement that its forces raided the home of the perpetrator of the operation and are preparing to demolish it, and that they continue to comb additional sites in the area to arrest wanted individuals and seize combat means.

For its part, a Hebrew newspaper reported that a force from the Israeli army raided the home of the family of the perpetrator of the operation, whom it identified as Ahmed Abu al-Rub (37 years old), and arrested his father, Yunis Abu al-Rub.

A military source said that the army and Shin Bet are interrogating members of the family of the perpetrator of the Beit She'an operation after raiding their home in Qabatiya.

Local sources reported that about 44 military vehicles and several bulldozers raided Qabatiya while imposing a curfew on it, and soldiers spread out in its streets, while snipers climbed the roofs of several buildings.

The sources indicated that the Israeli forces closed main roads leading to the town.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said that the operation carried out by what he described as the "killer" from the north of the West Bank shows once again the urgent need to pass a law imposing the death penalty on perpetrators.

Ben-Gvir added that "anyone who goes out to carry out an anti-Semitic terrorist operation with the aim of killing should know that Israel will not allow him to continue living and will send him to hell."

The Israeli ambulance service announced the death of two people and the injury of two others in a combined ramming and stabbing operation in Beit She'an and Afula.

The Israeli police said that the operation occurred at 3 sites, and that its perpetrator is injured and was transferred to the hospital.

The Israeli army radio quoted a security source as saying that the perpetrator of the Beit She'an operation infiltrated from the security fence area in the Jerusalem area, and that he was banned from entering Israel, and was imprisoned 10 years ago for participating in confrontations with army forces.

International humanitarian law explicitly prohibits collective punishment measures against civilians for crimes they did not commit, including Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which stipulates the prohibition of collective penalties and considers them war crimes.

The Israeli army has been continuing a large-scale military operation in the north of the West Bank since January 21, 2025, which it began in Jenin camp and then expanded to Nur Shams and Tulkarm camps.

Since then, the Israeli army has imposed a strict siege on the three camps, and continues to destroy the infrastructure and homes and shops of citizens, leading to the displacement of about 50,000 Palestinians, according to official data.