Operation Brother’s Keeper: 4 Years Later

The three teens were last seen on June 12, 2014, in Gush Etzion, south of Jerusalem. Israeli forces then launched Operation Brother’s Keeper in order to find them. The IDF and the Israeli Security Agency began a direct investigation in the region, spreading to several cities in Judea and Samaria.

For two weeks, Israeli security forces continued to operate in the area as part of their ongoing mission to locate the three abducted teens. The forces also targeted Hamas operatives and the organization’s terrorist infrastructure in connection with the abduction.

IDF soldiers arrested about 400 suspects, of which 250 were associated with Hamas. More than 56 of the detained suspects were Palestinians released during the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange in 2011. The IDF acted against 63 institutions of the Dawa network run by Hamas. Many weapons were also seized during the search.

Hamas had established a system of public institutions, including mosques, schools and hospitals, all over Judea and Samaria. Hamas operated these institutions to recruit terrorists and spread its radical Islamic ideology.

On  June 26, 2014, Israeli security forces revealed the names of the two Hamas kidnappers: Marwan Kawasme and Omar Abu Aysha. Between the night of September 22 and September 23, 2014, they were spotted by the Israeli Security Agency and the IDF. During the mission to arrest them, the terrorists opened fire at the Israeli forces.

Marwan Kawasme:

Marwan had been arrested in the past for his activities within Hamas. At the age of 18, he spent 10 months in prison until August 2004. Since his release from prison in 2004, he had been arrested four times.

During his last interrogation, Kawasme admitted he was recruited by the Hamas military wing and had taken an active part in the recruiting of new Hamas activists. For these actions, he was imprisoned until March 2012.

Amer Abu Aysha:

Abu Aysha was arrested for the first time in November 2005 (at the age of 24), investigated, and sent to administrative detention until June 2006.

He was imprisoned for the second time for a short period in April 2007. Abu Aysha's brother was killed in November 2005 as he attempted to hurl an explosive device towards IDF soldiers. His father was arrested in Israel on several occasions for terrorist activities.

In the streets and across the internet, Palestinians were loudly proclaiming their support for the terrorists who kidnapped the three Israeli teenagers. In addition, students from the universities in Nablus and Abu Dis demonstrated their support for Hamas and the kidnapping. Thousands of young people raised the flag of Hamas, and dozens of students stood in front of the cameras raising three fingers, representing the three kidnapped Israelis.

On June 30, 2014, the IDF recovered the bodies of Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar, and Naftali Fraenkel northwest of the city of Hebron. It was ascertained that a short period of time after they were kidnapped, Hamas terrorists killed the three Israeli teens.

That same summer, Hamas reignited their aerial attacks and attempts of infiltration in Israel through terror tunnels. Their attacks became more intense, and with the 3 Israeli boys kidnapped and killed, Hamas had elevated tensions with Israel, leading to Operation Protective Edge.