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Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Deadly Attack Near Israeli Settlement in West Bank
In a tragic incident, a man has been killed and seven others wounded in an attack by three Palestinian gunmen near an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, Israeli police and medics have confirmed.
Details of the Attack
The attackers got out of a car at a checkpoint near Maale Adumim, a settlement in the West Bank, and opened fire with automatic weapons on several vehicles waiting there, according to a statement released by Israeli authorities.
Response and Casualties
Police swiftly responded to the attack, killing two of the assailants while the third was wounded and taken into custody. The Palestinian armed group Hamas praised the attack, although they did not claim responsibility for it.
Escalating Violence in the West Bank
There has been a surge in violence in the West Bank since the start of the conflict in Gaza, with a total of 394 Palestinians and 12 Israelis killed in various incidents, according to the United Nations.
Location of the Attack
The attack took place near the al-Zaim checkpoint on Highway 1, which connects Maale Adumim with Jerusalem. The gunmen, identified as three Palestinian men from Bethlehem, targeted vehicles in a traffic jam on a 500m stretch of the highway.
Immediate Aftermath
Tragically, a 20-year-old man lost his life in one of the vehicles, while a 23-year-old pregnant woman sustained serious injuries. Four others were moderately wounded, and one person was lightly injured. The wounded were promptly evacuated to hospitals in Jerusalem for treatment.
Political Reactions
Following the attack, Israel’s far-right national security minister called for increased distribution of weapons to civilians for self-defense and the construction of more roadblocks around Palestinian communities. Another politician urged the approval of plans for thousands of new homes in settlements like Maale Adumim.
International Stance on Settlements
Israel has constructed around 160 settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the 1967 Middle East war, housing approximately 700,000 Jewish residents. The legality of these settlements is a contentious issue, with most of the international community viewing them as illegal under international law.
Hamas’s Response
Hamas justified the attack as a response to Israeli “massacres and crimes” in Gaza and the West Bank, calling on Palestinians to take up arms in resistance.
Continued Violence
This incident comes just days after a Palestinian man shot and killed two people at a bus stop in southern Israel, highlighting the ongoing cycle of violence and tensions in the region.
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