IDF Arrests 25 Hamas Terrorists After Friday Night Murder Spree

In response to Friday night’s terror attack in Chalamish, IDF soldiers increased their patrols and cracked down on terrorists, arresting 25 terrorists overnight Motzoei Shabbos. Many of the terrorists were Hamas members. Among the detainees were top members of the terror group, including a Palestinian Authority legislative council member.

An IDF official told Yisrael Hayom that the arrests were necessary to head off the increased organization of Hamas in Palestinian Authority-controlled areas of Yehudah and Shomron. The official said that the religious nature of the protests over the security measures on Har HaBayis were giving Hamas new popularity among PA Arabs, and that in recent days the army had noticed an uptick in the amount of terrorist activity. Omar Abd al-Abed, the 19-year-old terrorist who murdered three Israelis Friday night, was believed to have Hamas connections, the official said.

Angry residents of the Binyamin region town of Chalamish overnight Motzoei Shabbos established a new outpost outside their town, on a hilltop adjacent to Kubar, the village where al-Abed lived. In a social media post, residents said that they had “gotten a second blow this Shabbos when the members of the Salomon family, Hy”d, were murdered. In response, we have decided to block the road of death that the terrorist took to get to our town, the same road used by arsonists who set the large fire that plagued our town last November. We call on everyone who is able to help us set up the foundation stone for the new outpost, which will connect to the town.”

The new outpost was established as the town mourned the deaths of Yosef Salomon, Hy”d, 70, his daughter, Chaya Salomon, Hy”d, 46, and Elad Salomon, Hy”d, 36, who were murdered as they finished their Shabbos meal on Friday night. Tova Salomon, 68, the wife of Yosef, was being treated for injuries sustained in the attack in Shaare Zedek Hospital in Yerushalayim. She was, baruch Hashem, said to be in good condition Sunday.

Overnight Motzoei Shabbos, Gaza Arab terrorists fired a rocket at Israel. The rocket exploded in the air over an area in the Ashkelon Coast regional council. No injuries or damage were reported.