Misusing mosques for terror – IDF video shows terrorists firing on Israeli forces from cover of religious building

Since the beginning of the war, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) have targeted terrorist strongholds in Judea and Samaria to eliminate terrorists and destroy their infrastructure. The IDF has reported that, to date, approximately 165 armed terrorists posing a threat to its troops have been eliminated in around 110 aerial strikes carried out in Judea and Samaria.

The military also said that time after time, it detects terrorist activity in civilian infrastructure, including mosques, hospitals, clinics and educational institutions. 

For example, during operations carried out by Israeli security forces in Jenin on Nov. 19 and in Tulkarm on Dec. 25, the IDF identified the use of such facilities by terrorists in three different mosques. 

During counter-terrorism operations in Jenin on Nov. 19, terrorists opened fire at the soldiers from inside and under the cover of the Jabriyat Mosque. The morning after the operation, the IDF soldiers returned to the mosque to search it. They located a shooting range on the lower floor of the mosque, a training area, and firing positions overlooking the forces and the area near the mosque. Dozens of shell casings were found near every window in the mosque from the shooting that took place the night before. 

During the same operational activity, an Israeli Air Force (IAF) aircraft identified a large number of armed terrorists firing at IDF soldiers using an additional mosque, the Khalid Ibn al-Walid Mosque, as cover. 

In Tulkarm, the IAF identified terrorists throwing explosive devices at IDF soldiers from the roof of the Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Mosque. 

The IDF Spokesperson's Office stated: These are additional examples of how terrorists in Judea and Samaria cynically use the population and civilian institutions for terrorist activity. These are blatant violations of international law, all aimed at harming Israeli civilians and security forces while also endangering and exploiting the Palestinian people. 

While using civilian buildings for purposes of terrorism is well documented throughout Gaza, the IDF said aims to highlight the same behavior in Judea and Samaria. 

The IDF stated that airstrikes targeting terrorists in Judea and Samaria are conducted with precision to minimize harm to uninvolved civilians and are carried out in accordance with international law.