Israeli Forces Kill Wanted Palestinian Inciter Linked to 2022 Tel Aviv Attack

Israeli military spokesperson announced overnight between Thursday and Friday that a knife-wielding Palestinian assailant attempted to stab IDF soldiers operating in Jenin and was shot dead. No Israeli casualties were reported. Security sources identified the attacker as Fathi Hazem, father of the Palestinian terrorist who carried out the deadly 2022 Dizengoff Street attack in Tel Aviv, killing three people. Since that attack, Fathi Hazem had been inciting violence against Israel and had gone into hiding, prompting an ongoing manhunt.

The operation was conducted by the IDF's 890th Paratroopers Battalion, targeting terrorists involved in planning attacks. During the raid, Hazem tried to stab a soldier at one of the locations, who responded with immediate lethal fire. The battalion continued its mission afterward.

Fathi Hazem, a former senior officer in Palestinian security forces in Nablus, became publicly known shortly after his son Razan Hazem's attack in Tel Aviv. Following his son's killing, Fathi Hazem delivered a fiery speech inciting Palestinians against Israel, which went viral and led to his decision to go underground with his other son, protected by armed militants in the Jenin refugee camp.

Despite attempts by Israeli security to apprehend him, Hazem was not classified as an imminent threat compared to other terror operatives, allowing him to exploit his status to rally support and funding within Palestinian factions. His complex position surrounded by armed supporters made operational capture difficult. The recent raid appears to have targeted a moment of vulnerability, resulting in his death.

This development closes a chapter on a high-profile manhunt linked to a major terror attack in Tel Aviv and ongoing incitement efforts by the Hazem family.