Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “settle accounts” with those responsible for a deadly shooting attack that killed three Israeli settlers and injured eight others in the occupied West Bank.
The attack, which occurred on Route 55 in Al-Funduq, targeted two cars and a bus, leaving the driver seriously injured. The victims were identified as Aliza Reiss, Rachel Cohen, and Yaakov Winkelstein, who was also a police investigator.
Netanyahu condemned the attack, stating that “no one will get away” and promising to find those responsible and bring them to justice. Israeli Defense Forces chief Herzi Halevi vowed to intensify operations against terrorism in the West Bank and make the route safer.
The shooting has been praised by Palestinian militant group Hamas, while Israel has labeled it a “terrorist attack.” The incident marks a surge of violence in the region, which has seen a significant increase in attacks on both sides since October 7, 2023.
International focus has shifted towards Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza, but the West Bank has witnessed a new escalation of violence. The region is home to millions of Palestinians and hundreds of thousands of Jewish Israelis, who have been emboldened by their country’s actions.
The United Nations has reported that over 500 Palestinian civilians were killed in the West Bank in 2024, with children bearing much of the violence. The UN also recorded the deaths of 34 Israelis, including seven settlers, in the same period.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/06/middleeast/west-bank-shooting-israel-intl-latam/index.html