Israeli security forces on Saturday morning continued their hunt for the two Palestinian gunmen who shot dead an Israeli security guard in a West Bank settlement.
Friday night’s shooting at the entrance to Ariel claimed the life of a guard in his 20s.
The two gunmen, whose attack was captured by surveillance cameras, fled the scene.
The Israel Defense Forces said Saturday morning the guard, whose name has not been released for publication, was killed as he shielded another guard at the gate and moved to block the entrance to the settlement.
The second guard was not injured in the attack.
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“It was a very difficult attack and there was a night of operational activity,” said Brig. Gen. Avi Blot. “We will come to the terrorists. There are many operations being conducted on the ground, including intelligence.”
Palestinian media reports early on Saturday claimed that a burned-out vehicle had been found in the area and that it could be the car used by the terrorists.
” מאו״ג איו״ש תאל אבי בלוט הבוקר: ״כמו במקרים אחרים נגיע אל המפגעים בהק. pic.twitter.com/2fYdp7oud4
— Or Heller אור הלר (@OrHeller) April 30, 2022
The attack was claimed by the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a coalition of armed groups linked to the Palestinian Authority’s ruling Fatah party.
“We accept responsibility for the heroic operation at Ariel that resulted in the death of a Zionist officer. All of these activities are in response to Israeli aggression in Jerusalem,” a masked man said in a video circulated on social media.
The terrorist group was also behind the deadly attack in Bnei Brak last month.
The Hamas terror group praised the shooting, saying it was a “heroic operation” and a “natural response to the crimes committed by the occupation and its settlers.”
Israeli security personnel at the scene of a shooting attack at the entrance to Ariel in the West Bank on April 30, 2022 (Flash90)
CCTV footage from the scene of the attack in Ariel showed a blue Suzuki vehicle approaching a guard post, where a person in the passenger seat opened fire.
The gunman and driver then both got out and continued firing at the sentry before driving off.
Magen David Adom emergency services said its paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene. The second guard, apparently protected by the slain man, was unharmed.
The shooters apparently used improvised Carlo submachine guns.
Ariel and other settlements in the area issued a lockdown order, fearing the gunmen might attack again.
Security forces blocked roads as large numbers of police and soldiers launched a massive manhunt for the gunmen. The Israel Defense Forces said special forces were involved in the search.
תמונת רכב המחבלים המופצת במצוד. סוזוקי כחולה. שני מחבלים. כנראה חמושים ברובה קרלו. לוחית זיהוי צהובה. pic.twitter.com/FjxMcgqaZ5
— Or Heller אור הלר (@OrHeller) April 29, 2022
Also overnight, Palestinians reported that a man was killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank village of Azzun, near Qalqilya.
According to media reports, he was killed in clashes in the area.
Further details were not immediately available.
The attack and clashes come as tensions between Israel and the Palestinians have soared in recent weeks amid repeated terrorist attacks in Israeli cities that have killed 14 people.
The escalation came amid the Muslim holy month of Ramadan – often a time of high tension in Israel and the West Bank.
The army has stepped up its activities in the West Bank to stem the spiral of violence. Subsequent raids sparked clashes that left at least 25 Palestinians dead, many of whom took part in the clashes while others appeared to be uninvolved civilians.
Emmanuel Fabian contributed to this report.
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