IDF Allows Palestinian Workers Back Into West Bank Settlements Four Days After Deadly Attack

Four days after a deadly attack near Givat Gilad that killed Lieutenant Colonel Yuval Ezra and reservist Benyahu Malat, the Israel Defense Forces announced that Palestinian workers will be allowed to re-enter West Bank settlements starting Tuesday, under security protocols. This decision follows a security assessment and reverses a previous order by Central Command Chief Major General Avi Blot, who had banned Palestinian workers from entering Israeli settlements across Judea and Samaria after the attack.

The attack on Friday near the village of Tal in Samaria also injured additional Israelis and triggered a manhunt for the perpetrators. IDF and Shin Bet forces raided a hospital in Nablus, arresting two wounded attackers. The identities of all involved assailants are known, and efforts to capture them continue. Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir held a situation assessment and initial debrief with Central Command and security officials at the scene.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir criticized the reversal of the ban on Palestinian workers, calling it a "serious mistake" that could cost Jewish lives and urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to instruct the Chief of Staff to cancel the decision immediately.

Security officials have expressed growing concern over a significant deterioration in the West Bank's security situation following a series of terror incidents in the past week. They warn of a "breaking of the fear barrier" among Palestinians, with increased willingness to confront Jews entering Palestinian villages. The security establishment fears this trend could escalate into widespread popular uprisings resembling the First Intifada, including mass violence, weapon seizures, and attacks on settlements and nearby farms.