Terrorist shot and killed IDF soldier, 2 injured outside of Ariel; Netanyahu: I am certain that they will apprehend them and we will deal with them to the fullest extent of the law as we have done in all of the recent incidents.
Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed to find the terrorist responsible for both stabbing and shooting attacks outside the city of Ariel in Samaria on Sunday morning, a manhunt underway. A Palestinian terrorist stabbed an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) combat soldier at the Ariel Junction in the West Bank on a popular highway, stealing his weapon and shooting at civilians and soldiers. The soldier, First-Sergeant Gal Kayden,19, from Be’er Sheva, was killed and two civilians injured in two different shootings.
The IDF are actively searching for the terrorist in Ariel and the Palestinian city of Nablus and it’s surroundings, setting up roadblocks and deploying special forces throughout the West Bank. The IDF Spokespersons Unit confirmed Sunday morning’s attack, releasing the statement, “A Palestinian stabbed an IDF soldier at Ariel junction, stole his weapon, fired at civilians, got into his car, drove to the Gitai Avishar Junction and fired at Israelis at a bus station. Our troops are searching for the terrorist.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed to find and apprehend the terrorist, stating during his weekly cabinet meeting, “We are in pursuit of the terrorist at two points in the Ariel area. I offer my support to the soldiers of the IDF, the ISA [Israel Security Agency] and the security forces who are pursuing the terrorists. I am certain that they will apprehend them and we will deal with them to the fullest extent of the law as we have done in all of the recent incidents.”
He also addressed the rocket attacks by Palestinian Islamic Jihad from the Gaza Strip on Thursday, reiterating that Hamas would be held accountable for any and all violence and terror coming from the Strip. The IDF reported that over one million Israelis needed to seek refuge in bomb shelters due to four rockets fired at Israel on Thursday, three of them intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system.
The Israel Air Force carried out strikes on 100 Hamas terror targets in the Strip in retaliation, including a Hamas underground rocket manufacturing site, a Hamas drone center, the headquarters “responsible for orchestrating Hamas terrorism in Judea and Samaria,” and many more. Netanyahu stated on the events, “Israel views with utmost gravity the firing at us of rockets from the Gaza Strip… Hamas bears the responsibility for all attacks from the Gaza Strip, whether the firing is intentional or in error. Therefore, I ordered the attack of 100 Hamas terrorist targets and the IDF struck them hard. If necessary we will increase these attacks in order to continue ensuring quiet for Israel’s citizens.”
Photo: Dmitry Pistrov/Shutterstock.com
