Israeli special forces captured Ayman Nagah Saleh Ghanem, a wanted Hamas operative, in a raid at Al-Arabi Al-Tahsia Hospital in Nablus on Wednesday. Another suspect was also arrested during the raid, and no casualties were reported among Israeli forces.
Ghanem is accused of being a key member of the Hamas cell responsible for the August 11 shooting attack at Mehola Junction in the Jordan Valley. That attack killed 23-year-old Yonatan Deutsch and injured 32-year-old Anas Jaramana. Following the attack, Ghanem allegedly continued to lead the terror cell and plan additional attacks, posing an ongoing threat, according to Israeli authorities.
IDF special forces successfully arrested wanted Palestinian terrorist Ayman Nagah Saleh Ghannam at Al-Arabi Al-Tahsia Hospital in Nablus.
Ghannam was wounded during yesterday’s strike that eliminated two Hamas operatives in Aqaba, Tubas. Another suspect was also captured. No… pic.twitter.com/DF0oDNO7P2
— Breaking News (@TheNewsTrending) December 4, 2024
Before his arrest, Ghanem had been injured in an Israeli drone strike near the West Bank village of Aqabah on Tuesday. The strike also killed three Hamas gunmen the military said were planning “imminent attacks.” Ghanem was taken to a hospital in Nablus, where he was later captured by special forces.
The operation, carried out by the IDF and Shin Bet, was described as carefully planned “with the aim of preventing harm to patients and medical staff at the hospital.”
Israeli forces have intensified operations against Hamas operatives in recent weeks. Earlier this week, Wael Lahlouh, the leader of the Hamas cell behind the Mehola Junction attack, was killed in an IDF drone strike near Jenin. Three additional gunmen were also eliminated in that operation.