Operation Brother's Keeper

The teenagers were last seen on June 12, 2014, in the Gush Etzion area near Jerusalem. Israeli forces then launched the operation in order to find the three. The IDF and the Israeli Security Agency had launched a direct investigation in the region. This investigation had spread to several cities in Judea and Samaria, including Hebron, Bethlehem, and Jenin.

Hundreds of Palestinian suspects were arrested, and the IDF acted against many terrorist infrastructures. 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.

During Operation Brother’s Keeper, hundreds of sites were searched, and about 400 suspects were arrested, 56 of whom had previously been released as part of the Gilad Shalit exchange. In addition, the IDF acted against 63 institutions of the Dawa network run by Hamas. Many weapons were also seized during the search.

On the June 26, 2014, Israeli security forces revealed the names of the two Hamas kidnappers: Marwam 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 Israeli forces. 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 in 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), was 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 launch an explosive device on IDF soldiers. His father was arrested in Israel on several occasions for terrorist activities.

Palestinian Reaction

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.

Fate of the three Israeli youths

On June 30, 2014, the IDF recovered the bodies of Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar and Naftali Fraenkel northwest of the city of Hebron, north of the Telem village. A short time after they were kidnapped, Hamas terrorists killed the three Israeli teens.