At least one member of the terrorist cell responsible for the death of Rabbi Raziel Shevach near the Samaria outpost of Havat Gilad last week was killed in an overnight gunfight with Israeli forces in a refugee camp in the Palestinian town of Jenin.
A tip about the where the cell members were hiding led a large contingent of IDF, Israel Police and Shin Bet security agency forces to Jenin overnight Wednesday, where they were caught in a heavy exchange of fire.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, Ahmed Jarrar, a member of the Hamas military wing Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades and the son of Hamas commander Nasser Jarrar, was killed in the exchange.
Jarrar's father, Nasser Jarrar, was killed by Israeli forces in 2002, at the height of the Second Intifada. Before his death, Nasser Jarrar headed a terror cell in the Jenin area that plotted a double suicide bombing at the Sheba Medical Center and a truck bombing in a high-rise building in central Israel.
Two members of the Israel Police special forces were wounded in Wednesday's gunfight and taken to the hospital, one in serious condition and the other with light wounds. The police officer who was seriously wounded had sustained a gunshot wound to the chest and lost liters of blood. However, his condition stabilized overnight and as of Thursday morning was out of danger.
Several Palestinians were also reported injured.
The forces arrived at the camp with bulldozers on Wednesday and surrounded a home in which at least one terrorist was believed to be hiding. They used loudspeakers to ask the occupants of the house to clear the premises before the bulldozers demolish the home.
At 12:30 a.m., Palestinian reports said that the Israeli forces were pulling back, but shortly thereafter, the military charged into the surrounded home, setting off another round of gunfire.
Reacting to the killing of the terrorist, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remarked Thursday that "we will get to anyone who tries to hurt the citizens of Israel, and the State of Israel will ensure that justice is served."
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman also addressed the overnight clash, saying "the security forces engaged in a successful operation to apprehend Rabbi Shevach's murderers. Terrorists have nowhere to hide."
Coalition Chairman David Amsalem tweeted Thursday that "the long arm of the State of Israel will reach every terrorist, anywhere, at any time. They must all know: [the spilling of] Jewish blood is not permitted."
"I commend the IDF and the security forces for apprehending the murderers of Rabbi Raziel Shevach," Amsalem added.
