A series of shootings occurred on Sunday in several towns in central Israel near the occupied West Bank, leaving one man dead and five others wounded. The victim was identified as a 35-year-old reservist. Because the shootings took place in multiple locations, security forces initially feared there were several coordinated attackers.
Israeli police identified the attacker as a Palestinian man with Israeli citizenship in his 20s and a resident of Tayibe. The gunman reportedly used a car to carry out the attacks, allowing him to reach various locations within a matter of minutes. Following a brief pursuit, police neutralized the suspect and recovered the firearm and vehicle used in the rampage.
Authorities described the incident as a terrorist attack, which was praised by Hamas, though the group did not claim responsibility. The shootings occurred amid a surge in Israeli military activity, attacks against Israelis, and settler violence since the war in Gaza began in October 2023. Tensions had been further heightened over the weekend after Israeli troops shot at a car in the West Bank, killing a 7-month-old Palestinian baby and wounding his parents.