Manhunt for 6 fugitive terrorists intensifies amid Islamic Jihad threats

Israel on Wednesday intensified the massive manhunt for six terrorists who escaped the Gilboa maximum-security prison on Monday in what police officials have labeled as one of the gravest jailbreaks in the country’s history.

Army Radio reported that dozens of roadblocks have been deployed from north to south and on the roads leading to the West Bank.

In Gilboa Prison, north of the West Bank, 400 inmates were moved from their cells to ward off additional escape attempts.

The Israel Prison Service confirmed that five of the six fugitives are members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Four of them are serving out life sentences over terrorist attacks or affiliation with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The other two had been held on administrative detention pending their indictment.

One of the six escapees is Zakaria Zubeidi, a notorious commander in Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, who is currently on trial for attempted murder as well as two dozen other crimes.

Zubeidi’s brother Jibril, told Channel 13 News he had “no idea” of Zakaria’s whereabouts.

Walla news reported Wednesday that security forces acted on intelligence suggesting that two of the escapees crossed into Jordan and of the four, two are hiding out in the Druze town of Majdal Shams on the Syrian border.

Zubeidi was reportedly spotted in Na’ura, an Arab town in northern Israel, and hundreds of police officers raided the locality, as well as neighboring Tamra.

Palestinian media reports claimed Zubeidi was also spotted on footage of the local mosque’s security cameras.

Israeli forces reportedly arrested several of Na’ura’ residents on suspicion of aiding the fugitives.

Police are also investigating the possibility that some of the terrorists may have managed to escape to Jenin, a known PIJ and Hamas terror hub.

Jenin residents reported on Tuesday that Islamic Jihad gunmen could be seen in large numbers on the streets ahead of expected IDF raids for the fugitives.

The terrorist group issued several threats to Israel since the escape, warning against raids in the city or any Israeli action against PIJ operatives held in Israeli prisons.

“If the IDF enters [Jenin] it will be met with significant firepower from many weapons and explosive devices,” the terrorist group told reporters in the city on Tuesday.

The Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank overwhelmingly support the fugitives, with media reports and officials alike lauding the escape ad “heroic,” “strategic” and a “landmark” success, Channel 12 News said.

Public celebrations of the escape were reported on Monday and Tuesday in the West Bank cities of Nablus and Hebron, and across the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh spoke out in support of the fugitives, saying, “It’s the right of every prisoner to escape from prison by any means.”

Gilboa Prison, one of the most secure facilities in Israel, sits 6 kilometers (4 miles) north of the West Bank.

Monday’s jailbreak was the biggest Palestinian escape from an Israeli prison since 1987, when six PIJ terrorists were able to escape a high-security prison in Gaza.

A preliminary investigation of the incident has so far found that the warden assigned to the guard tower above where the group had exited the tunnel they dug under the prison walls, fell asleep.

Authorities believe the six coordinated the escape with people outside the prison using smuggled cellphones.

Police believe that the group had a getaway car that was waiting for them nearby after they changed clothes and were given arms.

Overnight, the police and the IDF deployed special night-vision drones and other instruments, along the norther border and the so-called “seam zone” – a term that refers to an area east of the Green Line and west of Israel’s separation barrier – to prevent any of the fugitives from crossing in the West Bank.

“This is a chase after the unknown,” a senior police officer told Israel Hayom. “We’re looking into everything, including fugitive patterns. This is a serious challenge and we still don’t have the full picture.”

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spoke with Interior Minister Omer Bar-Lev on Monday, shortly after the escape was discovered.

“This is a very serious incident that will require the efforts of all security services,” the prime minister said.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a situation assessment with Shin Bet security agency Director Nadav Argaman, IDF Operations Division head Maj. Gen. Oded Basiuk and GOC Central Command head Maj. Gen. Yehuda Fuchs following the incident as well.

The incident also puts to the test the collaboration between Israeli security forces and their PA counterparts.

Israeli officials said that the IDF expected the Palestinian Authority to divulge any information they have that could assist the manhunt. Egypt and Jordan are expected to do the same.

Meanwhile, calls for the dismissal or resignation of Israel Prison Service Commissioner Katy Perry over the jailbreak.

Perry assumed command of the IPS eight months ago.

Source: Israel Hayom