The terrorist, Muhammad al-Jabari, belonged to a terror group claiming to be affiliated with Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades.
One Israeli was killed and three others were injured after a terrorist, later identified as Muhammad al-Jabari, opened fire at Israeli civilians and security forces at a checkpoint in the West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arba, near the home of Otzma Yehudit MK Itamar Ben-Gvir on Saturday night, according to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.
A Magen David Adom medic was seriously injured in the attack and was being treated at Shaare Tzedek Medical Center. As of Sunday morning, he was sedated and intubated and in a serious, but stable, condition.
Two others in light condition were treated at Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center and were released from the hospital overnight. A 37-year-old Palestinian was also injured and was evacuated by Israeli forces to be treated in the territories under the auspices of the Palestinian Authority.
A large force from the Israel Police and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) arrived at the scene, Maariv reported. The assailant was killed by a civil security officer, the IDF said, with scans ongoing to determine whether more terrorists were involved in the attack.
Alongside the civilian security officer was an off-duty IDF officer from the Golani Brigade, the IDF said on Sunday morning. The officer, who lives in the vicinity of the terror attack, heard the gunshots and arrived on the scene, working with the civilian officer to kill al-Jabari.
“The security guard was hit, I returned fire and went to pull him back,” the Golani Brigade officer, whose identity remains anonymous, said in a video statement released by the IDF.
MDA medic Yisrael Lior, who was present at the scene of the attack, stated on Saturday night that he arrived with another medic to the scene at the Ashmoret checkpoint in Hebron and saw a man who had been shot in a car.
“While I was running to get medical equipment, I heard the medic I was with shouting “I’m injured. [They’re] shooting at me,'” said Lior. “We took cover and while I was providing life-saving treatment to the medic I was with, we called in additional forces and after they arrived, we evacuated the injured person from the vehicle and the medic I was with to the hospital.”
Terrorist reportedly affiliated with Hamas
Muhammad al-Jabari was named as the terrorist who carried out the attack. A group calling itself Aswad al-Haq and claiming to be a part of Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades announced that al-Jabari was a member of the group but that the attack had not been carried out under commands from the group. The Aswad al-Haq group was reportedly established just last week.
Gantz, Lapid hold situation assessments
Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a situation assessment on Saturday night with IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar. Gantz stressed that operational steps needed to be taken in accordance with the situation.
Prime Minister Yair Lapid carried out a situation assessment after the attack and ordered that security forces in the area be reinforced.
“I share in the grief of the family of the person murdered in tonight’s attack. There are no words that can comfort you at this difficult time. I wish a speedy recovery to the injured,” said Lapid. “We will act with all the tools at our disposal and we will not allow terrorism to raise its head”
Ben-Gvir wasn’t targeted in terror shooting, security forces say
Despite initial reports, the shooting was not directed at the Ben-Gvir’s home like he claimed but rather at a military checkpoint near the settlement.
Ben-Gvir’s family and the other residents of Kiryat Arba were told to stay inside as Israeli security forces investigated.
“My family is currently being secured under a shooting attack on our home in Givat Avot,” Ben-Gvir wrote on Twitter. “We’re listening to the instructions from security forces.”
משפחתי נמצאת כרגע מאובטחת תחת מתקפת יריות על ביתנו בגבעת האבות. נשמעים לכוחות הביטחון.
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) October 29, 2022
As reported by The Jerusalem Post