Al-Aqsa Brigade claims attack

Report: Shooting which killed officer was revenge for flotilla.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN, YAAKOV KATZ, JPOST.COM STAFF
Murdered policeman 'Shuki' Sofer 311 (photo credit: Israel Police)
Murdered policeman 'Shuki' Sofer 311
(photo credit: Israel Police)
A faction of Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade claimed responsibility for Monday's terror attack in the Hebron Hills in which Israeli police officer Yehushua Sofer was killed, reported the Palestinian news agency Ma'an.
The attack came as a response to the raid on the Gaza aid flotilla, according to the report.
However, later on Monday, Israel Radio reported that the Fatah armed wing denied allegations of involvement in the attack.
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troops foil West Bank terror attack
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Sofer was killed and two officers wounded in a terrorist attack on their police vehicle in the West Bank on Monday morning.
A Palestinian gunman ambushed a police van that was ferrying five officers from Beersheba to Jerusalem at around 7:20 a.m.
The van was attacked as it drove eastbound on Route 60 in the Hebron Hills region.
Several bullets struck the van, piercing windows and wounding three officers inside.
The gunman claimed the life of F.-Sgt. Yehoshua “Shuki” Sofer, 39, whoserved in the Hebron police sub-district for 14 years, and was due tomarry his fiance in three months.
Sofer, who was hit in the stomach, was airlifted with another seriouslywounded officer to the Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in Jerusalemby Magen David Adom paramedics.
Sofer died of his injuries two hours after arriving at the hospital.
He was buried in the military section of Beersheba’s old cemetery on Monday evening.