Central Israel shooting attack leaves one dead and five wounded, Israeli police say

Israeli police said a Palestinian man with Israeli citizenship carried out several shootings on Sunday across central Israel. One person died and five others were injured, police said. The gunman was later killed by police. Officers said they first feared coordinated attacks, but later linked the incidents to one shooter and a suspected driver.

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The violence came during heightened tensions in the region. Israeli settler attacks increased in recent days, Israeli authorities said. A Palestinian baby was also shot dead over the weekend in the nearby West Bank. Police said the gunman’s exact motive was not immediately clear, even after the fatal encounter.

Central Israel shooting attack: police identify suspect and incident trail

Police identified the attacker as a resident of the Arab town of Taybeh in his 20s. The shootings began on Sunday morning at a petrol station near Kokhav Yair. Kokhav Yair lies on the Israeli side of the boundary with the occupied West Bank. Further shootings were reported in two nearby Israeli towns.

Police also received reports of gunfire close to the Israeli settlement of Salit, inside the West Bank. Investigators later concluded the gunman likely had an accomplice who acted as a driver. Police said they arrested the suspected accomplice later. Officers said the suspect tried to stab police with a glass bottle.

Police said a 35-year-old Israeli man was killed in Kokhav Yair. Magen David Adom said five others were wounded. Two of the injured were in severe condition, the rescue service said. Authorities ordered residents to stay inside due to fears of a wider assault across multiple towns.

Schools in the area also went into lockdown for at least three hours. Oshrit Gani Gonen, the regional council head, described the shock to Israeli media. "Since Oct. 7, the scenario we were expecting was terrorists crossing into our towns from over the boundary. I dont think that anyone imagined that we would discover the attackers were Israeli citizens,\" Oshrit Gani Gonen said.

Central Israel shooting attack: Netanyahu praise and Ben-Gvir video reaction

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the security forces who killed the attacker. Public security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the police, posted a video. The footage showed Ben-Gvir standing beside what appeared to be a blurred image of the dead gunman. \"This is the end of every terrorist, this is how it should look,\" Ben-Gvir said.

Ben-Gvir recently supported a new law seeking the death penalty for Palestinian attackers. Israeli media reports said the law now faces legal challenges. Ben-Gvir also faced criticism from other Israeli leaders over earlier controversial videos. Those videos included scenes involving flotilla activists detained after trying to break Gaza’s maritime blockade.

Central Israel shooting attack context: West Bank surge and Gaza war toll

The West Bank has seen a rise in deadly violence since the Gaza war began. Israel expanded military operations across the territory, killing hundreds of people. Israel said the raids target militants, but civilians have also been killed. The Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.

Israel’s later offensive in Gaza has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, including combatants and civilians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry is part of the Hamas-led government. It keeps detailed casualty records that UN agencies and independent experts see as generally reliable. The ministry does not separate civilian and militant deaths.

Central Israel shooting attack developments: Gaza strike and ceasefire talks

Also on Sunday, at least four Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, the Palestinian Red Crescent said. The strike hit a police point in the southern Gaza city, the charity said. The dead were taken to a Red Crescent field hospital. At least 10 others were wounded, the charity added.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the Khan Younis strike. It has said earlier it targets militants who threaten its troops. A US-brokered ceasefire deal dated Oct. 10 attempted to halt the Israel-Hamas war. The heaviest fighting has eased, but Israeli fire has continued almost daily, according to the report.

Netanyahu also spoke about territorial control in Gaza during a Cabinet meeting. \"We are presently holding more than 60 per cent of the territory, and soon we will reach 70 per cent,\" Netanyahu said. Netanyahu added that Israel is not allowing Hamas to rearm or harm Israel. The head of the US-created Board of Peace said last month that the next ceasefire steps stalled over disarming Hamas.

With inputs from PTI