According to the military, two Israelis were killed in a suspected attack near the Palestinian city of Huwara in the West Bank. The army announced on Saturday that suspects are currently being sought. Paramedics had previously tried to revive the two men after the gunshot wounds. According to the Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom, the incident happened in a car wash.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been several attacks by Palestinians on Israelis in Huwara. Two Israeli brothers were killed there in February. This was followed by serious riots by Israeli settlers. They set houses, shops and cars on fire. Scores of Palestinians were injured. A road runs through Huwara, which is also used by many settlers every day.
The security situation in Israel and the West Bank is tense. Since the beginning of the year, 24 Israelis, one Ukrainian and one Italian have been killed in attacks by Palestinians. During the same period, 179 Palestinians died in Israeli military operations, confrontations or after their own attacks. The majority are armed combatants, but innocent civilians are also among those killed in military operations.
Israel conquered the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967. More than 600,000 Israeli settlers live there today. The Palestinians claim the territories for an independent state of Palestine with the Arab-influenced eastern part of Jerusalem as the capital.