Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades Commander Ibrahim Nablusi was killed by Israeli security forces during an operation in Shechem on Tuesday morning.

A gun battle broke out when IDF soldiers, Shin Bet operatives, and Yamam counterterrorism officers entered Shechem in the early morning hours to capture Nablusi, surrounding his house. After security forces ordered him to leave the house and he refused, a gun battle ensued, during which Israeli security forces threw anti-tank missiles at the house.

In the course of the three-hour gun battle, Nablusi and another terrorist were killed and dozens of Palestinians were injured.

Nablusi belonged to a terrorist cell whose members perpetrated a number of shooting attacks against Israelis in the Shomron earlier this year, including a shooting attack at Kever Yosef. He narrowly escaped arrest in February during an IDF operation in which three of his cell members were eliminated in broad daylight.

He again escaped arrest last month during an IDF operation that ended in a gun battle during which two terrorists were killed.

In the video below, IDF forces can be heard ordering the wanted terrorist to leave his house.

Prior to his death, Nablusi recorded a voice note on social media, stating to his friends: “I love you all. I’m surrounded and I’m going to dye a martyr…don’t lay down your guns. I love my mother.”

Following the operation, the mayor of Shechem called a citywide strike in protest of the IDF’s actions and called on residents to donate blood.

In the video below, hundreds of Palestinians take to the streets with Nablusi’s body.

Nablusi had become an extremely popular national hero on Palestinian streets in recent months for evading Israeli security forces, with songs written about him and Tiktok videos extolling his praises. The video below is from two weeks ago when Palestinians came especially from Chevron to Shechem just to kiss his hands.

Top terrorist eliminated today by Israeli special forces in Nablus.

Head of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade Ibrahim Nabulsi had escaped arrest several times in the past. Not this time. pic.twitter.com/7WF929xuWR

— Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) August 9, 2022

Additional security forces operated in other areas of Yehudah and Shomron overnight Monday, arresting four terror suspects and seizing weapons.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)