Israel army says top Islamic Jihad commander killed in West Bank

Jerusalem: Israel's army said Friday it had killed Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad's top commander for the Nur Shams refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.

The military said Mohammad Abdullah was "eliminated" on Thursday after Israeli aircraft struck the camp in Tulkarem.

An additional "terrorist" was killed in the operation, which recovered M-16 rifles and vests, it added.


Abdullah was the successor of Muhammad Jabber, also known as Abu Shujaa, who was killed in an Israeli strike in late August.

Islamic Jihad is an ally of Hamas, with both groups battling Israeli forces in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Violence has soared in the West Bank since Hamas launched its unprecedented attack on Israel in October last year.

Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 705 Palestinians in the West Bank since, according to the Ramallah-based health ministry.

Israeli officials say at least 24 Israelis, civilians or members of the security forces, have been killed in attacks carried out by Palestinian militants or in Israeli military operations over the same period in the West Bank.