Israeli Forces Arrest Palestinians Suspected of Aiding Attackers in Two Terror Cases

Israeli forces arrested four Palestinians overnight Sunday suspected of aiding the assailants who carried out attacks in Israel's central city of Elad and the settlement of Ariel that left a total of four dead.

Two of the suspects were arrested in the West bank village of Rummaneh, where the Elad attackers lived, and two more were arrested in the village of Qarawat Bani Hassan, where the Ariel attackers are from.

Troops also raided the Balata refugee camp and the West Bank villages of Al-Walaja, Beit Rima, Bil'in, Azzun, Katana, and Hizma where they arrested 11 more terror suspects. In addition, during the operation in the village of Azzun, two knives and two pistols were found.

Israeli forces captured the two Palestinians on Sunday who murdered three Israelis last week after a three-day manhunt. The two were found in a forest in central Israel, close to the ultra-Orthodox city of Elad where the attack took place.

The two are identified as As'ad al-Rifa'i, 19, and Subhi Abu Shakir, 20, from the village of Rummaneh, near Jenin.

• Israel to Lift West Bank Closure Except for Village of Terror Attack Assailants
• Political Crisis Could Drive Bennett to Far-reaching Steps in Combating Terror
• Israel Can't Stop Terror Attacks by Assassinating Hamas Leader Sinwar

An extensive manhunt followed the attack in Elad Thursday, in which the two perpetrators killed three and injured four Israelis. According to a security official, one of the attackers worked next to the attack's location and was familiar with the area, and that both of the attackers crossed the West Bank separation barrier through a breach in the fence, apparently armed with an axe and knife.

The police have said that an initial investigation shows one of the three victims, Oren Ben Yiftah, drove the two assailants to the scene of the attack. Officials believe Yiftah was acquainted with the suspects, and that they had spoken with him on the phone shortly before the ride.