by Maya Zanger-Nadis, Yonah Jeremy Bob
Preschool teacher Batsheva Nigri was murdered. A second Israeli remains in serious condition.
 |
Batsheva Nigri, the woman who was killed in a terror attack near Hebron on August 21, 2023.
(photo credit: COURTESY OF THE FAMILY/MAARIV)
|
Preschool teacher Batsheva Nigri, 40, was shot to death in front of her six-year-old daughter on Monday on Route 60 in the West Bank after hitching a ride to her nearby home in Beit Hagai junction.
Nigri, a mother of three, grew up in Efrat.
The driver Aryeh Gottlieb, 39, also of Beit Hagai is in serious condition from gunshot wounds was transported to Soroka Medical Center.
The child suffered from light shrapnel wounds.
Two terrorists drove in front of the victims' car, cutting it off while slowing down traffic at the intersection. They then shot at the victims from short range, pepper spraying their vehicle with at least 20 bullets and then continued driving.
Al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade, the armed wing of the Palestinian Authority's ruling Fatah faction, took credit for the attack, explaining in a statement that it was "a natural response to the crimes of the occupation." The group further noted that this terrorist attack took place on the 54th anniversary of an attack on al-Aqsa by a Western tourist.
Israeli
troops stand guard, near the scene of a shooting, near Hebron, in the
West Bank August 21, 2023. (credit: MUSSA QAWASMA/REUTERS)There was an IDF guard post nearby, but the lookout soldier did not see or hear the attack, which only took a couple of seconds. The rest of the soldiers at the outpost, which can range from four soldiers to a larger group, were not on lookout at the time of the attack.
The IDF has set up a complete closure around Hebron as well as surrounding villages like Halhul.
Soldiers set up roadblocks and are searching for the suspects, including in the nearby Gush Etzion bloc.
The IDF is very concerned about the multiple attacks in the last few days leading to a new terror escalation.
On Saturday, a terrorist shot two Israelis who were visiting the Palestinian town of Huwara in northern Samaria.
Some 80% of the anti-terror focus has been in the Jenin and Nablus areas in the northern West Bank.
While there have been attacks in the southern parts of the West Bank, they have been more the exception, with most of the IDF's 23 battalions - almost double the number of battalions securing the area in quieter times - dedicated to cracking down in the North.
The scene of a terrorist shooting on Highway 60 near Hebron on August 21, 2023. (credit: MAGEN DAVID ADOM)Security forces do not yet know the identity of the terrorists or whether there was any connection between this Hebron attack and the weekend one in Huwara.
The defense establishment will evaluate whether this is part of a new escalation with the waves of terror dating back to March 2022, after capturing or identifying more information regarding the terrorists.
The IDF has rejected accusations that it is not acting proactively enough against terror and has pointed out that it is using a variety of weaponry and intelligence methods, including drones and a massive operation in Jenin on July 3-4, to confront West Bank terrorism.
Politicians respond to the incident
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was updated on the security situation and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held an afternoon operational briefing.
"Minister Gallant is receiving ongoing operational updates from his Military Secretary Brig. Gen. Guy Markizano regarding the pursuit of the terrorists responsible for the attack," according to his office. Gallant is expected to hold a situation assessment at the site of the attack, together with senior defense officials later in the day.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who is also a member of the Knesset Security Cabinet, arrived at the scene several hours after the attack to survey the scene.
Public and municipal responses to the attack
President Isaac Herzog tweeted his condolences, stating: "The murder of Batsheva Nigri in front of her small daughter in the horrific shooting attack at Mount Hebron is shocking and heartbreaking. These are difficult and painful days for Israel, in which our enemies are using various means to hurt us. They will not be able to."
הירצחה של בת שבע נגרי הי"ד לעיני ביתה הקטנה, בפיגוע הירי המחריד בהר חברון, מזעזע וקורע את הלב. אלה ימים קשים וכואבים לעם ישראל, כשאויבינו פועלים באמצעים שונים להכות ולפגוע בנו. הם לא יוכלו לנו.
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) August 21, 2023
Shlomo Ne'eman, YESHA Council and Gush Etzion Regional Council head said that this was “yet, another shocking attack.”
”We send a warm embrace to the family of the victim at this difficult time and pray for the recovery of the injured driver. The terrorists act as a result of the hate education and funding from the PA, with the goal of massacring us. The government simply can’t continue down the path of the terrible Oslo agreements.”
Israeli
troops stand guard, near the scene of a shooting, near Hebron, in the
West Bank August 21, 2023. (credit: MUSSA QAWASMA/REUTERS)He added that, “We demand that the government of Israel and the IDF forces change course and act with all means at their disposal to deal a severe blow to the terrorist infrastructure and the terrorist PA. The supporters, the instigators, and the sponsors of terrorism can no longer continue with their daily routine. There is a war here and in a war one must behave accordingly.''
A Hamas spokesperson, Hazem Qassem, praised the attack and said it was a response to Israel's ongoing assaults on Palestinians. Specifically, he said that such attacks are "part of dealing with a religious war in holy places and the war against the Zionist projects in the settlements."
This is a developing story.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Maya Zanger-Nadis, Yonah Jeremy Bob
Source: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-755533
No comments:
Post a Comment