HAMAS PRAISES ATTACK
Israeli National Security Minister and far-right firebrand Itamar Ben Gvir, who has been rising in the polls, called for the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority to be dismantled because of the attack.
“The Palestinian Authority must be dismantled and demilitarised, and its terror infrastructure wiped out completely,” he said in a statement.
No evidence suggests that the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian government in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, was connected to Friday’s attack.
Hamas, which is based in Gaza and carried out the Oct 7, 2023 attack, the deadliest in Israel’s history, hailed what it called an “exceptional heroic operation” near Hebron and mourned the two dead assailants, without claiming responsibility.
The attack is a “natural and legitimate response to the ongoing crimes and brutal attacks against our people”, Hamas, the rival of the Palestinian Authority’s ruling Fatah faction, said in a statement.
Netanyahu in his statement vowed to “pursue Hamas terrorists” everywhere, adding: “You have no place to hide.”
Gadi Eisenkot, the former army chief who is Netanyahu’s top rival in the election, praised the response by troops.
“Like all Israelis, I pray for the complete and quick recovery of the injured,” he said.
The incident comes as tensions soar in the West Bank, including over attacks by extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinian olive harvesters, and days ahead of Israeli elections.
According to an AFP tally based on data from the Palestinian health ministry, Israeli forces or settlers have killed 1,113 Palestinians in the territory since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023.
Israeli figures show at least 49 Israelis, including civilians and security personnel, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations during the same period.
