Hamas Threatens 'More Powerful & Miserable' Response After IDF Kills Three in West Bank Gun Battle

In a recent flare-up of violence, five people were shot dead on Tuesday in the Israeli city of Bnei Brak when terrorists opened fire in two different locations, with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett instructing his security apparatus to act with an “iron fist” against anyone threatening the country’s security.

Hamas, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007 and is deemed a terrorist organisation by Israel, has threatened to meet “escalation with escalation” after Israeli forces killed three Palestinians in a firefight in Jenin.

“The continuous crimes of the occupation portend a total explosion, which will be still more powerful and more painful and miserable [than those that came before] and which our people will join in every part of our occupied land,” the group said in a statement.

It went on to say that it welcomed “the blessed month of Ramadan, the month of struggle and martyrdom and victories” by “embracing the hands of our revolutionary heroes".

The statement was made as Israeli troops shot and killed three Palestinians during clashes in Jenin on Thursday, according to the Israel Defence Force (IDF).

The Israeli military said gunmen had fired at forces, carrying out a daytime raid, who “shot back and struck the armed men". One soldier was lightly wounded and taken to hospital for treatment, the IDF added.

Led by infantry forces, including the Duvdevan commando unit, the raid had been part of operation “Breakwater” - an effort involving hundreds of soldiers to arrest individuals suspected of being linked with Tuesday’s deadly attack in Bnei Brak, and of planning future attacks.

According to the Israeli military, around 31 suspects in the West Bank had been arrested.

As Israeli troops carried out the raid, videos were circulated online showing smoke rising from the center of the Jenin refugee camp, accompanied by gunfire in the background.

In the past week, 11 Israelis have fallen victim to Arab terrorists in an upsurge of violence, prompting Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to convene a series of urgent security meetings.

Five people were shot dead on Tuesday in the city of Bnei Brak, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish town just east of Tel Aviv, when terrorists opened fire in two different locations. The incident followed a shooting at a bus stop in the Israeli city of Hadera, that left two people dead and a dozen wounded. Two gunmen, believed to be affiliated with Daesh*, were fatally shot by police.

Last week, an Arab man killed four people in a stabbing and car ramming attack in the city of Beersheba before he was shot dead by a passer-by. According to Israeli authorities, the perpetrator was a Daesh sympathiser.

In view of the surge of attacks, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett ordered security forces to act with an “iron fist” against anyone threatening the security of Israel.

*Daesh, also known as ISIS/IS/Islamic State, is a terrorist organisation banned in Russia and many other countries.