Four Israelis were killed and another four were wounded in a shooting attack by two terrorists at a gas station outside of the West Bank settlement of Eli on Tuesday afternoon.
One of the victims was identified as Elisha Antman, an 18-year-old resident of the town of Eli. Another was identified as Harel Masoud, a 21-year-old resident of Yad Binyamin. A third was later identified as Ofer Feirman, another Eli resident aged 63. The fourth was identified as Nachman Shmuel Mordoff, 17, a resident of Achiya.
Two terrorists entered a restaurant next to the gas station and shot several people there before going to the gas station and shooting another person. At that point, an armed civilian shot and killed one of them and the other fled.
Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), IDF and Border Police forces shot and killed the second terrorist after locating him and attempting to arrest him a short time later. They tracked him as he tried to escape and eventually found his car abandoned, according to a joint statement. When he was located, they attempted to arrest him, but he resisted arrest and was killed, the statement said.
Initial intelligence reports suggested a strong likelihood that the terrorists were associated with Hamas, IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Daniel Hagari said. A short time later, a Hamas official said the gunmen belonged to Hamas’s military wing, the Izzadin al-Qassam brigades. The attack was in response to the IDF operation on Monday in Jenin, he told Al Jazeera.
Hagari also said that the IDF and Israel Police have increased their presence in the area to provide security to Israeli civilians and to ensure that civilians do not take independent revenge action.
The terrorist who was killed at the gas station was identified as Muhannad Shahada, from the village of Orif, near Nablus, in the West Bank, according to Palestinian reports cited by Army Radio.
Four killed, four wounded in the attack
One of the four additional wounded, a 20-year-old man in serious condition, was transferred to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. He was in serious but stable condition with a gunshot wound in his upper body and was to undergo surgery soon, according to the hospital.
Two additional wounded were in moderate and another in light condition, according to MDA. They were transported to Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva.
“We received a report at MDA’s 101 hotline about a shooting attack at a gas station next to Eli,” MDA senior medic Motti Dahan was quoted as saying in a press release. “We arrived with large forces at the gas station and saw a [horrible] scene. [Eight victims] had suffered gunshot wounds, some of them at the gas station and some at the nearby restaurant... Three of the wounded were evacuated to hospitals in MDA intensive-care vehicles, and unfortunately, we had to confirm the death of four victims.”
United Hatzalah paramedics Aviah Chaim and Yoni Rosenfeld also arrived at the scene. “Unfortunately four people were pronounced dead following resuscitation attempts that were unsuccessful,” one of them was quoted as saying in a press release. “In addition, we provided initial treatment to four more people who suffered gunshot wounds. Due to the nature of the incident, United Hatzalah’s Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit also treated a number of people for emotional shock.”
Following the attack, Eli settlement chairman Ariel Elmaliach called on the residents to stay in their homes, because of the possibility that the second terrorist had entered the town. The all-clear was given about an hour and a half afterward.
Security chiefs meet with PM
"The time has come to launch a military operation in Judea and Samaria. Return to targeted killings, take down buildings, put up checkpoints, expell terrorists and pass the death penalty for terrorists."
Itamar Ben-Gvir
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that “all options are open” following the terror attack. “We will continue to fight terror with full force, and we will defeat it,” he stated.
Netanyahu said that Israel “proved in recent months that we make all the murderers pay, without exception. Anyone who harms us is in a grave or in prison. That will happen here, as well.”
The prime minister held a situational assessment at the IDF Central Command in Jerusalem on Tuesday evening, after those in his coalition called for a strong military response to the terror attack.
Several senior army and security chiefs were present at the meeting, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar, and IDF Chief Herzi Halevi.
At the end of the meeting, it was decided to reinforce the IDF's troops in the West Bank with additional brigades starting on Tuesday night, the IDF confirmed.
The police forces on roads and junctions in the West Bank will be reinforced as well, per the Israel Police Spokesperson's post-meeting announcement.
Politicians, ambassadors offer condolences
"Settlers have become ducks on a shooting range," National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said at the scene of the attack in Eli. "I call on the Prime Minister, I call on Minister Gallant, the time has come to launch a military operation in Judea and Samaria. Return to targeted killings, take down buildings, put up checkpoints, expel terrorists and pass the death penalty for terrorists in the second and third Knesset reading."
Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) said: “Difficult news from Eli. Four murdered people, and the heart breaks for the families and the friends who lost their dearest persons in a murderous terrorist attack. I send condolences and share in the grief of the families and pray together with the whole of Israel for healing and comfort... I trust [the Israeli security forces will] catch the murderers and their senders.”
National Unity chairman Benny Gantz said: “I would like to send my heartfelt condolences to the families of those murdered in the terrible attack in Eli and wish the injured a speedy and full recovery. At this time, determined and responsible actions are required, led by the security forces. We will back up every correct decision of the government in the face of murderous terrorism.”
Foreign Minister Eli Cohen (Likud) said: “It has been a difficult day. My heart breaks for the four people murdered in the horrific terrorist attack near Eli. I send my condolences to their families, pray for the wounded to be healed and support the security forces. In the face of the terrorism that is rearing its head, we must react with determination and strength. The Palestinian Authority, which pays terrorists and their families for murdering Jews, encourages terrorism. I call on the international community to strongly condemn this criminal policy.”
Israeli residents in northern Samaria called for demonstrations at the Eli and Rehelim junctions on Tuesday evening to protest against what they said was an inadequate response by the government and security forces.
This is a developing story.
Lahav Harkov and Khaled Abu Toameh contributed to this story.