Eyewitness reports on the assassination of Ashraf Hanaisha, from Qabatia town, near the northern West Bank city of Jenin, confirmed that he was executed after the under-cover forces of the Israeli army identified him.The attack took place on Tuesday April 17, when Israeli under-cover forces driving a Palestinian licensed vehicle ambushed Hanaisha as he was driving on the main road between Qabatia and Jenin.
Eyewitnesses told the Palestine News Network that the under-cover soldiers opened fire at Hanaisha after identifying him, and doctors at a Jenin hospital stated that he was hit by more than ten rounds of live ammunition in his chest and head.
The under-cover forces were driving in front of the vehicle of Hanaisha, and suddenly sped up and made a fast U-turn at Al Shuhada junction, then drove towards the vehicle Hanaisha was driving and stopped in the middle of the street.
Isam Nazzal, a local taxi driver, said that he saw three armed, unmasked men stepping out of the vehicle while the rest remained inside and opened fire at Hanaisha's vehicle. Nazzal stated that Hanaisha tried to avoid them and drove his vehicle to the side before completely stopping.
“He tried to escape from the car, but the undercover soldiers managed to seize him, I saw them leading him to their vehicle where they forced him to keep his hands in the air”, Nazzal stated. “They also forced the passengers who were with Hanaisha out of the vehicle and forced them on the ground, and then they opened fire at Hanaisha and killed him. But that was not enough for them, they also carried his body and threw it away before they went back to their car and sped off”.
Red Crescent medics, who arrived at the scene, and physicians at the Jenin governmental hospital, confirmed that Hanaisha was repeatedly shot in his head, chest and several other parts of his body”.
Also, Nazzal said that the under-cover soldiers were able to capture Hanaisha alive, but it was clear that their intensions were otherwise.
Several Palestinian human rights groups expressed concern that this assassination is the beginning of a new wave of assassinations.
Fateh movement issued a press release demanding international organizations to investigate the crime, and stated that this attack clearly indicates that Israel is reactivating its assassination policy.
The movement stated that this was a “cold blooded murder” and held Israel responsible for further deterioration in the situation.
The Al Aqsa brigades, the armed wing of Fateh, the Al Quds brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad and several armed resistance groups slammed the attack and vowed retaliation.
