West Bank Shooting Leaves 3 Israelis Dead, 8 Injured
By The Media Line Staff
Three Israelis, including two elderly women and an off-duty police officer, were killed, and eight others were injured in a shooting attack near Kedumim in the West Bank on Monday. The attack, carried out by three Palestinian terrorists linked to Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), targeted vehicles and a bus on Route 55, a major thoroughfare used by both Israelis and Palestinians.
The victims were identified as Rachel Cohen, 73, Aliza Reiss, 70, and Master Sgt. Elad Yaakov Winkelstein, 35. Cohen and Reiss, sisters-in-law and former school counselors, were shot while driving. Winkelstein, an off-duty police officer, was killed in a separate attack 150 meters away. Winkelstein’s son, who was in the car, was unharmed.
The attack began in the Palestinian village of al-Funduq when the assailants opened fire on two Israeli cars and a bus, wounding several passengers, including the bus driver, who remains in serious condition. An armed civilian returned fire, forcing the terrorists to flee in their car. Israeli security forces launched a manhunt, setting up roadblocks and deploying troops and helicopters.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to capture the attackers and any accomplices, stating, “No one will be spared.” Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the Israel Defense Forces to intensify operations against terrorists in the West Bank. The attack was praised by Hamas, though no group claimed responsibility.
Violence has escalated in the West Bank since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an assault on southern Israel. Plans to construct a bypass road near al-Funduq, aimed at enhancing security for Israelis, are set to begin next month.
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