IDF Deploys to Palestinian Village Near Qedumim After Heavy Gunfire Reported

Israeli security forces were deployed to the Palestinian village of Qadum, adjacent to the Israeli settlement of Qedumim in Samaria, on Thursday night following reports of heavy gunfire in the area. Ozal Vatik, head of the Qedumim Local Council, stated that upon hearing the shots, the settlement's security department mobilized local forces and the IDF. "I say most clearly, we do not care what the reason for the shooting is, whether it is an 'internal conflict' or something else. We cannot accept any situation where in the village of Qadum, so close to Qedumim, there is so much weaponry. We must not accept this situation," Vatik declared.

Vatik further urged the security establishment to conduct a massive operation in Qadum to collect weapons and apprehend militants. He noted that the army entered the village shortly after, while civilian activity in Qedumim remained routine. The report also referenced a recent deadly shooting attack near Qedumim that killed two women and a man, identifying one of the victims as Gideon Peri, who worked with the perpetrator at a factory.