IDF Closes Roads Near Gaza Border After Arrest of Palestinian Islamic Jihad Leader

The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday ordered the closure of roads and shut down train service amid fear of retaliatory attacks from Gaza after the arrest of a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader and his aide. The IDF also closed the Erez Crossing from Gaza, a pedestrian crossing used daily by thousands of Palestinians who work in Israel and by journalists. The IDF noted in a statement that there was an increase in activity by Palestinians connected to Islamic Jihad and cited “a direct threat of a possible attack on Israeli civilians.” Bassam al-Saadi, the head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group, and Ashraf Zidan Molmad Aljada, his son-in-law and aide, were arrested late Monday in the West Bank city of Jenin. According to the Palestinian Authority Health Ministry, 17-year-old Dirar al-Kafrayni was shot and killed during the raid. Prime Minister Yair Lapid held a security assessment on Tuesday morning, according to his office, with Alternate Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, National Security Adviser Dr. Eyal Hulata, IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, Shin Bet security agency Director Ronen Bar, Military Secretary to the Prime Minister Maj. Gen. Avi Gil, Cabinet Secretary Shalom Shlomo, and others. Saadi has been working to restore Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror activities, according to the Shin Bet.