Gunman Opens Fire Near Bethlehem, Injures Three Including Two Girls
A Palestinian gunman launched a shooting attack near the Tekoa checkpoint in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, wounding three Israelis – including two young girls. The suspect fled the scene but was later caught by Israeli forces.
Family Targeted in Drive-By Shooting
The attacker fired from a vehicle at a car near the checkpoint close to Bethlehem. Inside the targeted car was a 35-year-old man seriously injured but in stable condition, along with his daughters aged 9 and 14, who suffered minor injuries from flying debris. The family lives in the Israeli settlement of Nokdim, Israeli media reported.
Israeli Forces Launch Raid, Arrest Suspects
In a swift response, Israeli troops raided Bethlehem, detaining the suspected gunman plus two others. They also seized the attacker’s vehicle, which contained an M16 assault rifle. At least 15 Palestinians were reportedly wounded during the raid. Haitham Al-Hadri, head of Beit Jala Governmental Hospital, confirmed minor injuries among those treated.
Violence Sparks Political Backlash Amid Rising Tensions
Several Palestinian factions hailed the shooting as a justified reaction to what they call Israeli occupation crimes. The Popular Resistance Committees branded the attack a “response to the crimes of the Zionist enemy against our people, our land, and our sanctities.”
Israeli settlements in the West Bank are widely deemed illegal under international law. Still, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government vows to continue expanding them. The region has seen escalating violence recently, with frequent Israeli raids triggering the bloodiest clashes in almost 20 years.
Since January, nearly 195 Palestinians have died at the hands of Israeli forces, while at least 27 Israelis have been killed in separate attacks. This brutal cycle highlights the deep and ongoing turmoil of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
