Security forces arrested the suspect who on Thursday placed an explosive device on a bus in Beitar Illit, as well as four suspects who might have assisted him overnight, in the West Bank village of Battir on Saturday.

Soldiers also confiscated a vehicle suspected of being used in the placing of the device, according to a joint statement by the IDF, Shin Bet and Israel Police spokespersons.

Eleven arrested suspects overall

Overall, Israeli security forces arrested 11 Palestinians suspected of involvement in terror activities across the West Bank on Friday night as part of Operation Break the Wave.

During the operations, stones and explosive devices were thrown at IDF soldiers, who responded with crowd dispersal measures. There were no casualties to Israeli forces, and the suspects were transferred for further investigation.

One of the suspects arrested was Muhammad Zubeidi, who was arrested in an overnight raid in Jenin. He is the son of Zakaria Zubeidi, one of the six Palestinian inmates who escaped from Gilboa Prison in 2021.

IDF troops are seen operating across the West Bank as part of Operation Break the Wave on March 11, 2023 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
IDF troops are seen operating across the West Bank as part of Operation Break the Wave on March 11, 2023 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
Zakaria Zubeidi’s brother Jibril was also arrested in a raid in Jenin in February of this year. Jibril Zubeidi was arrested for conducting terrorist activity and is also suspected of taking part in the kidnapping of the body of Druze-Israeli Tiran Ferro in November.

Early Friday morning, the IDF, Shin Bet and Border Police mapped the house of Mo’taz al-Khawaja, the terrorist who conducted the shooting attack on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv on Thursday night, in preparation for its possible demolition. Two members of al-Khawaja’s family were arrested during the operation.

Palestinians in the town threw stones, explosives and Molotov cocktails at the Israeli forces mapping the house. The forces responded with live fire, hitting one of the Palestinians, according to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.

Additionally on Friday, a resident of Ramle and a resident of Kuseifa suspected of helping Palestinians without entry permits, including al-Khawaja, enter Israel illegally, gave themselves up to police.

The Palestinian Public Authority for Civil Affairs announced on Friday that al-Khawaja’s body would not be released by Israeli authorities.

As of Friday, Rotem Mansano and Or Ashkar, two of the Israelis injured in the terrorist attack in Tel Aviv, were still hospitalized in serious condition, but improving.

Early Friday morning, a Palestinian named Abd al-Karim Badie al-Sheikh was shot and killed by an Israeli citizen near Ma’aleh Shomron near Kalkilya, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit stated that al-Sheikh was armed with knives and explosive devices entered the Dorot Illit farm and was shot by the owner of the farm. No Israelis were injured in the incident.

Additionally on Friday, a 16-year-old Palestinian was shot and killed by Israeli forces during clashes in Kalkilya, according to Palestinian reports.

He was then imprisoned in Gilboa Prison, until he escaped together with five other inmates in September 2021 and was rearrested shortly after.