Two IDF Soldiers Killed in West Bank Shooting Attack Near Givat Gilad

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the names of two soldiers who were killed during an operational activity near the village of Tal in the Samaria Division. Lieutenant Colonel Yuval Ezra, 27, from Herzliya, a battery commander in the 411th Battalion of the Artillery Corps, and Staff Sergeant Benyahu Malat, 32, from Yitzhar, a combat commander in the 8119th Battalion of the Jerusalem Brigade, both fell during the operation. Malat was also a resident of the Givat Gilad settlement and part of its security team.

The operation followed a deadly terror attack in the area, where a terrorist seized a weapon from a security center and opened fire on a group of Israeli hikers. The IDF forces neutralized the attacker shortly afterward and recovered the stolen weapon. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered a series of extensive measures, including the immediate demolition of the terrorist’s home and intensified actions against villages identified as terror hubs across Judea and Samaria.

The IDF declared a closure on exits throughout the region and launched a broad operational campaign overnight, arresting over 80 suspects linked to incitement and terror activities, interrogating others, and confiscating various weapons. The operation also involved revoking work permits of residents from villages involved in terror activities. The families of the fallen soldiers were informed during the day, with the IDF expressing its condolences and commitment to support them during this difficult time. The soldiers’ deaths are mourned as a significant loss to the military and the nation.