Two Israelis shot dead in West Bank in 'Palestinian terror attack', says government

Two Israeli civilians were killed in a suspected terror attack, on Sunday (February 26) in the northern West Bank town of Huwara, near Nablus, as per local media reports citing officials. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), a Palestinian gunman opened fire at an Israeli-owned car and fled the scene. Subsequently, the two victims were taken to the hospital where they later passed away.

A joint statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir confirmed that two Israeli civilians were killed in a “Palestinian terror attack”. The Shomron Regional Council, which administers Israeli settlements in the northern West Bank, said those killed in the Sunday attack were Jewish, reported AFP.Netanyahu also took to Twitter and wrote, "On behalf of all the citizens of Israel, I would like to send my condolences from the bottom of my heart to the Yaniv family of Mahar Bracha for the murder of Hillel Menachem Weigal-Yaakov. May them rest in peace."

He added, "We are working against terrorism by all means - in operational operations, in thwarting terrorist attacks, in passing a law to deport families of terrorists and today in a law on the death penalty for terrorists. Our answer to terrorism is to strike terror hard and strengthen our grip on our country."

The “terrorist arrived to the Einbus junction and opened fire towards an Israeli vehicle,” the IDF had said after the attack. An initial probe into the incident suggests that the gunman took advantage of a traffic jam to carry out the attack which took place on a highway. The IDF said victims were rushed to the hospital while they pursued the attacker.

Subsequently, officials from Israel’s medical agency Magen David Adom (MDA) and West Bank settler leader Yossi Dagan confirmed that the victims had died. The medical officials had initially said they were treating two men in their 20s who were critically injured and taken to the hospital in a helicopter. The victims were later identified as two Israeli brothers, named as brothers Hillel Yaniv (21) and Yagel Yaniv (19) who are reportedly residents of the West Bank settlement of Har Bracha, as per Times of Israel.

The footage of the attack showed the victims’ car riddled with bullets while the military personnel found at least 12 nine-millimetre shell casings which indicate that the gunman was using a handgun or makeshift submachine gun, as per local media reports. The IDF has also closed parts of the surrounding area where the attack took place as the manhunt for the gunmen is underway.

(With inputs from agencies)

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