On Thursday, a Palestinian gunman shot and killed an Israeli soldier near the Kedumim settlement in the occupied West Bank, according to a statement from the Israeli army. The attack, claimed by the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, marks the second Israeli soldier killed within a week as violence escalates once again in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The victim, identified as 22-year-old Shilo Yosef Amir, was carrying out a routine activity near the settlement when he was fatally shot. The army stated that after the attack, the assailant was later “neutralised” by Israeli forces, though Palestinian officials were unable to immediately confirm his condition. The incident unfolded when Israeli forces stopped a suspicious vehicle for inspection, during which the assailant opened fire before fleeing the scene.
In response to the attack, the IDF soldiers and civilian security personnel pursued the assailant until they were able to neutralize him, according to the army’s earlier statement. Additionally, Palestinian sources reported that Israeli forces subsequently arrested the assailant’s brother and father in their West Bank village.
The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, in a statement, claimed responsibility for the attack and referred to it as a “swift response to the aggressions of the occupation and its aggression against our people in Jenin camp.” This comes in the wake of a recent large-scale Israeli operation in the West Bank city of Jenin, during which twelve Palestinians were killed, making it the most significant assault in years. The raid, which also resulted in the death of an Israeli soldier, targeted the Jenin refugee camp known for housing various Palestinian militant groups.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been ongoing since the 1967 Six-Day War when Israel occupied the West Bank and began constructing settlements, considered illegal under international law. The Palestinians seek the withdrawal of Israel from all land seized in 1967 and the dismantlement of Jewish settlements. Tensions have further intensified since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government assumed power late last year, leading to a series of daily raids by the Israeli army in the West Bank.
The surge in violence has resulted in a significant loss of life on both sides. According to an AFP tally compiled from official sources, at least 190 Palestinians, 27 Israelis, one Ukrainian, and one Italian have been killed this year. The casualties include both combatants and civilians among the Palestinians, while on the Israeli side, the majority are civilians, including three members of the Arab minority.
The recent attack serves as a stark reminder of the persistent tensions and fragile state of affairs in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As both sides continue to grapple with the complex issues surrounding the conflict, the search for a lasting solution remains elusive, and the cycle of violence perpetuates, leaving communities on both sides to mourn the loss of lives.