Several shooting and stabbing attacks, as well as riots along the Gaza border, took place over the last two days, in an escalation in violence that coincided with the beginning and end of Rosh Hashanah.
On Monday morning, as Israelis returned to work after the three-day holiday, Border Police officers foiled an attempted stabbing attack near the Mazmuriyeh crossing near east Jerusalem. The terrorist was shot by security forces at the scene, Border Police confirmed.
On Saturday, a report was received about a shooting attack targeting an IDF post near the town of Shuwaika, the IDF said. No injuries or damage to the post were reported.
Riots along the Gaza border
On Sunday, riots took place along the Gaza border, spearheaded by the Hamas terrorist organization, part of a wider wave of escalation. Reports said that rockets were also fired from Gaza toward the sea.
On Sunday, the IDF said that an assailant fired shots from the town of Dayr Sharaf toward a military post located on the outskirts of the town.
Following searches, shell casings were located and a hit to the post was identified. No IDF injuries were reported and IDF soldiers are currently pursuing the suspects. Several hours later more shots were fired at an IDF military vehicle near Meirav.
“Hits were identified on the vehicle and no injuries were reported. IDF soldiers are currently pursuing the suspects,” the IDF said in a statement.
Dayr Sharaf is not far from the Sebastia archaeological site. Meirav sits on the hills above Beit She’an on the slopes of Mount Gilboa. It is near the fence that runs along the West Bank.
It is not clear if the incidents are related. In the last year, there have been increasing attacks in the West Bank, primarily near Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus, and other areas in the northern West Bank. The shooting attacks on September 18 are a continuation of this trend.