Two Critically Wounded in Terror Attack Near Hebron; Large Cache of Ammunition Found

Two Palestinian terrorists were killed by Israeli forces Friday morning near Hebron after carrying out a shooting attack that left five people wounded, two critically. The terrorists, one identified with Hamas, opened fire with a handgun and an M16 rifle near the Yehuda junction before attempting to flee. They were neutralized by the deputy commander of the Ari Battalion and a company commander who responded to the scene. The critically wounded were evacuated to Shaare Zedek and Hadassah Ein Kerem hospitals in Jerusalem, with two others in moderate condition and one in light condition.

Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir praised the soldiers for their swift action, stating it prevented a more severe attack. He noted that a large amount of ammunition, intended for a larger-scale attack, was found in the terrorists' vehicle. Zamir participated in a situation assessment at the Judea Brigade, attended by other senior military officials, where he approved a full lockdown of Hebron and surrounding villages, increased arrest efforts, and bolstered intelligence gathering. He also authorized additional troop reinforcements for the Central Command as needed.

Magen David Adom emergency medical technician Tzuriel Edri described arriving at a difficult scene with ongoing gunfire, entering with an armored ambulance to assist in extracting the wounded. Local medical professional Ofer Ohana, who documented the incident, was heard shouting about continuous shooting and difficulties in evacuating the injured. The IDF had recently raised its alert level twice, once around October 7 and again this week, and had imposed a temporary halt on all army unit leaves.