Late on Friday, Israeli forces reported that two individuals identified as terrorists were killed in separate incidents near Gush Etzion, a large settlement cluster south of Jerusalem. The military assessed that both incidents were attempts to attack Israelis.
In the first incident, a car exploded at a gas station in what the army described as an attempted car bombing. After the explosion, a man exited the vehicle and tried to assault soldiers, who then shot him dead.
In the second incident, a man was killed when a car attempted to ram a security guard and breach the Karmei Tzur settlement. The vehicle was pursued by security forces, crashed, and an explosive device inside was detonated, according to the military.
Palestinian health authorities confirmed the deaths but did not provide details on the circumstances.
Following the incidents, troops searched the area and conducted raids in Hebron, where the two men were from. The events highlighted ongoing Israeli concerns about Palestinian attacks on settlements in Judea and Samaria.
On Saturday, the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas praised what it termed a “double heroic operation” in Judea and Samaria, asserting that it signaled continued resistance against what they describe as “brutal occupation.” However, Hamas did not claim direct responsibility for the attacks.
