1.Summary: On September 19, 2024, Israeli commandos killed Shadi Sami Zakarneh, the commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Jenin, after a gunfight in Qabatiya. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) also arrested his brother, Muhammad Zakarneh, during the same operation. According to Israeli intelligence, both brothers had been targets for some time, as part of Israel’s efforts to “cleanse Jenin of troublemakers.” Jenin has become a hub for militants from factions like Fatah, Hamas, and the Palestinian Authority (PA), with many Fatah militants serving in PA security forces, leading to a volatile situation.
Operation in Qabatiya
2. Earlier today, on September 19, 2024, Israeli commandos conducted an operation in the northern West Bank, killing Shadi Sami Zakarneh, a Palestinian National Security officer described as “the commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Jenin.” Zakarneh was killed in Qabatiya, a town located less than five miles south of Jenin, after an exchange of gunfire with Israeli forces.
3. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) also arrested Zakarneh’s brother, Muhammad Zakarneh, another officer in the National Security Forces, during the raid on their family home.
Israel’s Strategy, No Troublemaker Left Behind
4. According to JaFaJ sources within Israeli military intelligence, the IDF had been pursuing both Shadi and Muhammad Zakarneh for some time. The operation is part of Israel’s broader strategy to “cleanse Jenin of troublemakers.”
5. Comment: Jenin, in the northern West Bank, has become a stronghold for Palestinian militants from multiple factions, including Fatah, the Palestinian Authority (PA), and Hamas. Many militants affiliated with Fatah also serve in the Palestinian Authority’s security apparatus, creating a complex overlap between their official roles and militant activities. This area has been particularly volatile due to its concentration of militant groups, some of which oppose Israel through armed resistance.