A gunman in a vehicle carried out a series of drive-by shootings at three locations in Israel near the border with the occupied West Bank on Sunday, resulting in the death of one man and injuries to several others, as confirmed by Israeli authorities.
Incident Details
The shootings occurred in and around the town of Kochav Yair, situated in central Israel close to the West Bank city of Qalqilya. Police reported that they neutralized the suspected gunman after a short chase and recovered the firearm and vehicle used in the attacks. A second suspect was later apprehended after making statements indicating involvement in the assault, though officials did not elaborate on his specific role. During the arrest, he attempted to attack officers with a glass bottle.
Official Responses
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commended the police, stating, “This morning, a heinous terrorist went out, reached Kochav Yair, and unfortunately managed, before being eliminated, to murder an Israeli citizen and injure others.” President Isaac Herzog expressed shock at the attack, offering condolences to the victim's family and prayers for the wounded. The slain victim, a 35-year-old civilian, was identified by police.
Israel's ambulance service reported that five other individuals were wounded, two of them seriously, across the three shooting locations. The gunman, described as being in his twenties, was a resident of Tayibe, an Israeli city predominantly inhabited by Arab citizens of Israel. No group immediately claimed responsibility, though the Palestinian militant group Hamas praised the shootings without taking credit.
Security Measures and Reactions
Following the attack, Israeli soldiers were deployed to one of the sites in central Israel and to a nearby Israeli settlement in the West Bank, according to a military statement. Hardline Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for a “profound change” among Israeli Arabs, who constitute about 20% of Israel's population, warning of a “dangerous and extremist breeding ground for terrorism” that threatens the state.
