West Bank Shooting Leaves Five Israelis Wounded, Two Attackers Dead
Incident near Hebron prompts lockdown and military closures hours before general election.
Callum Smith
Five Israelis sustained injuries and two suspected Palestinian attackers were killed in a West Bank shooting.
Emergency responders arrived at a chaotic scene, gunfire still echoing. Tzuriel Edri, an emergency responder, stated, "We arrived at a difficult scene while shooting was still taking place in the area."
The Israeli military swiftly imposed roadblocks and closures across nearby Palestinian towns. Two men in their 20s sustained gunshot wounds to their lower limbs; one remained unconscious and seriously injured.
We arrived at a difficult scene while shooting was still taking place in the area.
Security forces discovered a large quantity of ammunition in the attackers' vehicle. The military identified the two Palestinian gunmen killed as Mohammad Jaaba and Firas Jaaba, both 27-year-old residents of Hebron.
The military claims the men launched the attack with an M16 rifle and a handgun. They further assert the attackers intended a much larger operation, stating the army prevented a "terror attack against Israeli civilians."
Prime Minister Netanyahu had previously claimed the Palestinian militant group Hamas could attack Israel to influence the election outcome. Hamas hailed the attack as an "exceptional heroic operation" but did not claim responsibility.
exceptional heroic operation
Closures of the West Bank have become more common. Friday's lockdown marked the fourth in the past month.
Separately, settler violence has surged during the annual olive harvest. On October 16th, settlers attacked Palestinian villages, burning cars and trees and injuring a Washington Post photographer.