Suspected Palestinian Terrorists Behind Deadly West Bank Ambush Captured; Hamas Launches Large-Scale War Game

Israeli security forces arrested the terrorist cell suspected of carrying out a deadly shooting attack in the West Bank last week, the Shin Bet security agency said Sunday morning.

Six suspects were arrested during an overnight raid in the northern West Bank village of Silat al-Harithiya, near Jenin, by the Israel Defense Forces and Israel Police’s Yamam counterterrorism unit. They were all handed over to the Shin Bet for interrogation. Two of them were believed to have carried out the shooting attack itself, while the others were suspected of having assisted or otherwise being involved in the cell, IDF Spokesperson Ran Kochav said.

Israeli forces carried out intensive searches in the northern West Bank for several days following the attack, in which Yehuda Dimentman was killed and two others were lightly hurt. They came under fire as they left the Homesh outpost. A military official said their car was ambushed from the side of the road.

Dimentman was a student at a yeshiva, or religious school, near where the attack took place. The 25-year-old was a father of a nine-month-old son and lived in the West Bank settlement of Shavei Shomron.

Hundreds of people took part in his funeral, which began at Homesh. Eulogies were made there, and a procession then visited the location of the attack before traveling to Jerusalem’s Givat Shaul cemetery, where Dimentman was interred.

The Palestinian terror groups Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine praised Thursday’s attack, but did not take responsibility for it.

Gaza-based Hamas terrorist operatives simulated raids on Israeli military bases and the kidnapping of IDF soldiers in a large-scale military drill late last week. At least three rockets were launched into the Mediterranean Sea from the Gaza Strip during Hamas’ so-called “Shield of Jerusalem” exercise. The Hamas-affiliated al-Resalah TV station published a series of videos and images in which terrorists can be seen taking part in the drill by firing machine guns and mortars and practicing abducting Israelis soldiers.

A member of Hamas’ military wing told al-Resalah that “the exercise is aimed at showing our willingness and determination against the background of the Zionist occupier’s continued violations of the Palestinian rights in Gaza.”

Meanwhile, Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Maj. Gen. Ghasan Alyan had a message for Gaza’s residents on the unit’s Arabic-language Facebook page: “Residents of Gaza, know that Hamas is harming you and your welfare. If Hamas continues to jeopardize the civilian policy allowed by Israel and the departure of thousands of Gazans to work in Israel – there will be consequences that impact you and your families who earn a decent living thanks to these permits.”

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk said late last week that his country recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s “one and only capital” and that a branch of its embassy would be opened there in the next year. The ambassador commented during an event marking 30 years of relations between Ukraine — with its historically significant Jewish population — and Israel.

Korniychuk told local media that he sees recognition coming in months, not years. However, he said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has preconditions regarding security and defense cooperation to be worked out before that happens.

The announcement came after Jerusalem Affairs Minister Ze’ev Elkin, who grew up in Ukraine, expressed during his address at the event his hope that Zelensky will open an embassy branch in Jerusalem. Elkin presented Korniychuk with a 2,700-year-old artifact bearing the word “Jerusalem” in Hebrew, after which the Ukrainian envoy made his remarks.

Israeli swimmer Anastasia Gorbenko won the Jewish state’s first-ever gold in the World Swimming Championships, in the 50-meter breaststroke.

Gorbenko won first place in the FINA short course contest taking place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with a result of 29.34 seconds, setting a new Israeli record for women in that category.

Last month Gorbenko came first in the 2021 European Short Course Swimming Championships, in the 200-meter individual medley. She also made history earlier this year when she became the first female Israeli swimmer to advance to an Olympic final.