Three Wanted Tanzim Operatives Killed During IDF Operation 
 
February 23, 2006  
Israel Defense Forces  
http://web.archive.org/web/20070311201716/http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/mainpage.asp?sl=EN&id=7&docid=50388.EN
 
 
Following an increase in the number of alerts for attempts to carry out terror attacks by the Islamic Jihad and Tanzim infrastructures originating in Nablus, IDF forces have been operating since Saturday night against terror infrastructure in Nablus.
 
On Thursday (23/02/06), IDF forces surrounded a structure in which security forces information indicated that three wanted Palestinians were hiding. The Palestinians hiding in the structure opened fire and threw hand grenades at the forces, moderately wounding an IDF soldier and lightly wounding a second soldier. The soldiers were evacuated to a hospital, one of them by helicopter, to receive further medical treatment. The force retuned fire at the gunmen and identified hitting three armed gunmen. An M-16 assault rifle and an M-203 assault rifle with a grenade launcher assembled unto it were uncovered in subsequent searches of the structure.
 
The three wanted Tanzim operatives who were killed in the activity are: Muhammed Hamdan Abed El Hadi Shatiwi, Mahmad Hamis Hassin Amar and Fatah Hasan Hajaj.

Muhammed Hamdan Abed El Hadi Shatiwi, 33, head of the Tanzim infrastructure in the Balata refugee camp. Shatiwi was responsible for carrying out the following attacks:

A shooting attack on January 7th 2005 on Route 60, in which 2 Israeli soldiers on leave, Second Lieutenant Ariel Buda and Sergeant Yossef Atia were murdered, and three Israeli civilians were wounded. 
A shooting attack in which IDF company commander, Maj. Shahar Ben Ishai was killed in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus, on May 29th 2004. 
The killing of a number of Palestinians in Nablus who were suspected of collaboration with Israel.
During the past few months, Shatiwi maintained close connections with the Hezbollah terror organization in Lebanon, and carried out various operations, including the purchase of weaponry, explosive device attacks and shooting attacks against Israeli targets in the Nablus area.

Mahmad Hamis Hassin Amar, 36, and Fatah Hasan Hajaj, 26, both Tanzim operatives, operated in close contact with Shatiwi and carried out a number of terrorist attacks under his direction. Under his direct guidance, they were also involved in the murder of Palestinians whom they suspected were collaborating with Israel. The two also received financial support from funds that Shatiwi received for funding terror activity.