Tayseer Al-Jaabari, the Islamic Jihad senior commander, was assassinated by Israeli occupation on Friday. He had been for decades climbing the ranks of the resistance group.
According to Palestinian resistance sources, Al-Jaabari, 50, oversaw the manufacture of local-made anti-tank missiles in Gaza. Last year, he commanded a cell which fired for the first anti-tank missile against Israeli vehicle during ‘Operation Sword of Al-Quds’ in May 2021.
“Jabari directed attacks during Operation Guardian of the Walls and oversaw the firing of hundreds of rockets against Israel,” Israeli media quoted Israeli Military Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Ran Kochav, as saying.
Al-Jaabari was member of the Military Council of Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad resistance group, and was appointed in 2019 as the commander of Gaza’s northern region following martyrdom of ex-commander Baha Abu Al-Ata.
Born in 1972, he lived in Gaza’s Shojaiyyah neighborhood. Al-Jaabari joined the ranks of the Islamic Jihad as he was pursuing his academic education in Gaza’ Islamic University, Islamic Studies major.
He spent several years in Israeli prisons as he was also arrested Palestinian Authority for several times following Oslo Accords in 1993.
In a video published by the Military Media Department of Al-Quds Brigades on Friday, Al-Jaabari appears addressing fighters of Al-Quds Brigades and slamming normalization attempts by several Arab states.
“Al-Quds Brigades is a spearhead in the battle against the Israeli enemy in Palestine… This land won’t be liberated but by faithful fighters who hold the message of Jihad,” Al-Jaabari says in the footage.
Following his martyrdom, Islamic Jihad Secretary General Ziad al-Nakhalah vowed to avenge his assassination.
“We are heading to battle, and there is no truce after this airstrike,” Nakhalah said. “The results of this war will be in favor of the Palestinian people. The enemy should expect a battle, not a truce.”
Source: Al-Manar English Website
