GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — More fighters of the Lion’s Den group in Nablus have turned themselves in to the Palestinian Authority (PA) amid PA-led contacts aimed at dismantling the group that continues to inspire other militants to carry out attacks against Israeli forces and settlers in various areas of the West Bank.

Muhammad Tabanja was the most recent fighter to turn himself in to the PA Oct. 31. He joined four other fighters who had surrendered in the aftermath of a military operation carried out by the Israeli army against the group in the Old City of Nablus Oct. 24. The operation resulted in the death of five Palestinians, including the leader of the Lion’s Den group, Wadih al-Houh, and it came a day after the killing of another leader, Tamer al-Kilani, in an explosion in Nablus, which the group accused the Israeli Shin Bet of being behind. 

An official in the Palestinian security services in Nablus told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that contacts between the Palestinian security and the Lion’s Den fighters have been underway for months in order to convince them to surrender to the PA and avoid being pursued by Israel.

According to the source, Israel had informed the PA that it would liquidate these fighters in the wake of the escalating attacks against the Israeli army and settlers in and around Nablus in recent days, which led to the killing of an Israeli soldier and the wounding of several others.