Israeli MK 'demands revenge' after Hebron terror attack

Israeli ministers and MKs quickly dole out blame and call for retaliation after a shooting attack near Hebron leaves a woman dead and a man injured.

 Otzma Yehudit MK Yitzhak Kreuzer is seen at a Knesset committee meeting, on February 27, 2023. (photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Otzma Yehudit MK Yitzhak Kreuzer is seen at a Knesset committee meeting, on February 27, 2023.
(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

“We demand revenge,” Oztma Yehudit MK Yitzhak Kreuzer said after a 40-year-old Israeli woman was murdered by a terrorist south of Hebron.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) offered his condolences to the victim, and another injured man with her on Twitter, writing “A deadly attack in the south of Hebron, despicable terrorists murdered a woman in cold blood and seriously injured another person. I send my condolences to the family for the difficult loss and pray with all the people of Israel for the healing of the wounded.

“The security forces will not let go of the killers, chase, and chase until they catch them. In the face of terrorism, a hard and determined hand is required.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to comment but has been alerted to the attack during a visit to Tel Hashomer.

Immediately following the deadly attack, where a 6-year-old girl was in the car that was shot out but did not receive any injuries, the IDF closed roads in the area as the hunt for the terrorist.

 The scene of a terrorist shooting on Highway 60 near Hebron on August 21, 2023. (credit: MAGEN DAVID ADOM)
The scene of a terrorist shooting on Highway 60 near Hebron on August 21, 2023. (credit: MAGEN DAVID ADOM)

Orit Struck blames Yoav Gallant

National Missions Minister Orit Struck placed the blame for the attack on Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, tweeting, “The heart cries out, the head is not ready to digest:

Another bloody attack that was made possible only because of the lack of the required decision.

“Judea and Samaria roads will no longer be a green route for terrorism! Defense Minister [Gallant], the decision is in your hands, accept it before the next attack.”

MK Dan Illuoz (Likud) also wrote in response to the attack that "An attack follows an attack and there are no rulers. We must restore deterrence and not wait one more moment. We must not let terrorism rise. We will pursue our enemies and overtake them, and we will not return until they are gone.”

This is in response to the fact that Monday’s attack comes just a few days after Saturday afternoon’s terror attack in Huwara that resulted in the death of two Israelis, father and son Silas (Shai) Nigerker, 60, and Aviad Nir, 28, from Ashdod.

Paramedics Nathaniel Yamin and Elyashiv Ameti and MDA senior medic Bania Weinberger, who helped to treat the victims, said "We arrived quickly on the scene and joined the IDF medical force that began treating the victims. We saw a man and a woman in their 40s with gunshot wounds. They took them out of the car while the woman was unconscious, without breathing and without a pulse - with severe gunshot wounds. We gave her life-saving medical treatment and performed resuscitation operations. Unfortunately, after the resuscitation efforts, she had to be pronounced dead.

“The man was unconscious and suffered from gunshot wounds to his limbs. We immediately put him in an intensive care unit, together, with an IDF medical force. We evacuated him to Soroka Hospital as he is in serious condition.”

Terror group Hamas released a statement following the attack, with spokesman Hazem Kassem praising the attack, saying "The operation in Hebron comes in its natural context in dealing with the religious war against the holy places. Our people and its opposition will continue to protect Al-Aqsa and its Islamic and Arab identity, and will not allow the occupation to carry out its plans there."

Palestinian Islamic Jihad also celebrated the terror attack, releasing a statement that "We welcome the heroic shooting operation that targeted the vehicles of criminal settlers south of Hebron. The operation is a natural and legitimate response to the crimes of the occupation and the aggression of its settlers against our people, and heralds the continuation of the direct response to deterring the enemy in all arenas.”

Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman spoke out against Hamas, writing on Twitter that. “A very serious attack in the south of Mount Hebron… In this case too, the real perpetrator of terrorism and the one that welcomes the murder of Jews is Hamas in Gaza, so it is not possible to deal with the current wave of terrorism without returning to the targeted threats of the terrorist leaders, who live in the Gaza Strip and receive immunity from the Israeli government.”