(CNN) Two Israelis were shot dead in the West Bank on Sunday, local settler leader Yossi Dagan said, calling it “an extremely serious terrorist attack.”
The Israel Defense Forces previously said that a “terrorist arrived at the Einbus junction and opened fire on an Israeli vehicle.”
Two Israelis were injured and taken to hospital, the IDF said, adding that it was pursuing the attacker.
Medical agency Magen David Adom and settler leader Dagan later said both had died.
Another local settler leader said he was present when the two were shot.
“The shooting happened right behind me. It looked horrible — the shooting was point-blank,” said Shai Alon, the chairman of the Beit El council, adding that Israel “must go to war against those who want to harm us. “
The incident came in Huwara, south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, days after a massive Israeli military attack on Nablus in search of wanted militants killed at least 11 Palestinians.
Lion’s Den, a Palestinian militant group that emerged in Nablus last year, claimed six of Wednesday’s dead as members and vowed revenge.
“As great as the pain that fills Nablus, the occupation will cost twice as much pain,” the group said, referring to Israel. “You will know that the fighters of the honorable groups in Nablus will not step back.”
Dagan, the head of the Samaria Regional Council, called on Israel after Sunday’s killings to halt ongoing security talks between Israel and the Palestinians, brokered by Jordan, Egypt and the United States, saying: “I demand that the prime minister, the minister for defense and all ministers bring back the delegation from the idle talks in Aqaba… We must launch an operation against terrorism!”
Israel and the Palestinian Authority earlier Sunday confirmed they were hot on the heels of one of the most violent starts to the year in two decades at five-party talks in Jordan. Egypt and the United States are participating along with the Jordanian hosts.
An Israeli official said attendees would “discuss ways to calm security tensions in the region ahead of the month of Ramadan,” which begins in March.
The Israeli delegation includes National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi; the manager of the Shin Bet Ronan Bar; the coordinator of government operations in the areas Maj. Gen. Rasan Elian and Director-General of the State Department Ronan Levy, the source said, asking not to be named to discuss diplomatic negotiations.
The senior Palestinian delegation “will emphasize the need to halt all unilateral Israeli actions and to abide by the signed agreements,” the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported on Sunday.
Hamas, the Palestinian militant movement that governs the Gaza Strip, condemned the Palestinian Authority’s participation, calling it a “fruitless move.” A Hamas statement called on the PA to “irrevocably end security coordination with Israel,” which the Palestinian Authority officially broke off in January after an Israeli raid on Jenin killed 11 Palestinians.
Lion’s Den and the Palestinian National Initiative, an independent political party, also called on the PA not to attend.