THE alleged killers behind the deaths of a British-Israeli mother and her two daughters in the West Bank in April have been blown up by a drone.
Israel’s security services claimed to have killed the two Palestinian gunmen and a third alleged militant in a raid in the early hours of this morning.
Sisters Maia, 20, and Rina Dee, 15, were killed when their family car was riddled with 22 Kalashnikov bullets in an ambush in Israel’s West Bank on April 7.
Their mum Lucy Dee, 45, died a few days later from her injuries in hospital on April 11.
The attack took place near Hamra, 30 miles north of Jerusalem.
The gunmen were identified as Hassan Katnani, Maed Mitsri, members of the Hamas militant group.
The third man – a reported senior operative in the group – was named as Ibrahim Hura.
A fourth Palestinian civilian bystander, Ziad Shuviri, was said to have been killed during the operation.
The Jerusalem Post reported a drone was used in the operation to blow up the suspects after an exchange of fire between Israel’s military and the alleged killers.
Shin Bet, Israel’s security services released a statement saying: “a significant intelligence and operational effort by the Shin Bet and the IDF began, which led to the location of the hiding apartment in the Kasbah in Nablus.
“Following targeted intelligence from the Shin Bet, in the early morning the Shin Bet, IDF and IDF fighters raided the apartment and in the exchange of fire the 2 murderers were killed.”
Father and husband Leo Dee said today: “I and the kids were delighted to hear that the terrorists were apprehended and neutralised today and eliminated today, and most of all that it was done in a way that apparently did not endanger the lives of Israeli soldiers because that was one of the most important things from our family’s perspective.”
He continued “The question we would like to ask them is: what was their purpose in this particular attack, what is their vision for a better world?”
Israeli’s security services said that they “will continue to act with determination to thwart all terror threats.”
Palestine’s health ministry responded with a statement that read: “Two of the martyrs have completely distorted features due to the intensity of the shooting, which makes it difficult to identify them.”
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