On July 23, Israeli authorities announced the apprehension of a suspect responsible for several bus bombings in central Israel on February 20. Authorities named Abd al Karim Sanubar as the suspect behind the bombings following a five-month manhunt to capture him.
A breakthrough in the investigation occurred on July 22 when an explosion in Sanubar’s Nablus apartment wounded him, causing him to flee his home. Israeli authorities identified the person behind the explosion as the suspect behind the bus bombings. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Shin Bet intelligence agency, and Israel Border Police launched a manhunt and located a wounded Sanubar hiding under a bush, Israel News Channel 12 reported.
Additionally, security forces located and dismantled several “ready-to-use explosives” belonging to the suspect near his apartment, the IDF said.
Israeli authorities did not detail whether Sanubar had links to specific terrorist groups despite some indication that the bombings were tied to a Hamas branch in the West Bank. FDD’s The Long War Journal located a Facebook page in the name of “Karim Sanubar” that includes photos matching the picture profile of the suspect published by Israeli media. The page contains multiple posts praising terrorists who belonged to Hamas and other terrorist factions.
One post praised two West Bank Hamas members, Ahmed Jarrar and Hamza Abu Hijah, who Israeli forces killed in 2018 and 2022, respectively.
Another Facebook entry suggests that Sanubar may have a familial connection to Hamas. “Hajj Assad Muhammad Sanubar has passed away after returning from a march in support of #Gaza in Nablus tonight.” The post contained a picture of an elderly male wearing a Hamas headband who seemingly had passed away.
Additionally, a Facebook post praised West Bank Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades members Adham Mabrouk, Ashraf Mubaslat, and Ibrahim Nabulsi. Israeli forces killed the trio in February 2022 during a counter-terrorism operation in Nablus.
The Long War Journal could not definitively verify the authenticity of the Facebook page, however.
Background on the bombings
The Jewish News Syndicate reported that on April 23, the Israel Police and the Shin Bet announced that military prosecutors indicted Sanubar’s brother on charges of playing a role in the bombings. The unnamed suspect supplied Sanubar with 15 alarm clocks intended to serve as bomb detonators and provided instructions on how to modify them into activation mechanisms.
The brothers allegedly coordinated the plot from their family home in Nablus. On the morning of the attack, the bomber was alleged to have called his brother to inform him he was en route to plant the devices. The bomber later sent a photo showing five explosive devices, each labeled with the names of senior Hamas leaders, including Mohammed Deif, Yahya Sinwar, and Saleh al Arouri.
On February 20, the bomber planted four devices inside buses in Bat Yam and Holon. Three devices exploded, while the fourth was safely neutralized near Wolfson Medical Center. No injuries were reported in the attacks.
In a related case, a Holon resident was indicted in March for transporting the bomber to his target location. The suspect admitted to driving the bomber, but he claimed to have been unaware of the man’s identity or intentions.
Hamas has not issued an official statement regarding the arrest of Sanubar.
