Palestinian militants opened fire outside a shopping center in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, killing an Israeli security guard before being shot dead, Israeli authorities said, reported Xinhua.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
Police said at least two Palestinian men were involved in the incident, which took place in Gush Etzion, a major settlement bloc.
Director-General of the Magen David Adom rescue service, Eli Bin, told reporters that the Israeli victim, a man in his 20s, died from gunshot wounds, but it was impossible to immediately determine who had fired the fatal shots.
The military said in a statement that the assailants arrived at the scene and carried out a combined stabbing and shooting attack. Israeli soldiers and an armed civilian returned fire and killed both attackers.
Large military forces launched a manhunt for additional suspects, blocking roads to Hebron and Bethlehem and encircling the nearby city of Halhul in the southern West Bank.
According to an initial investigation cited by Israel's Kan TV, the assailants stabbed the guard, seized his weapon, and opened fire before being shot dead.
Violence in the West Bank has surged since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023. According to United Nations figures, Israeli settlers have escalated attacks against Palestinians, while Israeli military raids have killed about 1,000 Palestinians in the territory.
- Israeli
- Genocide
- Palestine
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
