Jerusalem, Jan 7 (NationPress) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared his endorsement of offensive and defensive strategies in the Israeli-controlled West Bank after a fatal shooting incident.
In a statement shared by his office on Monday, Netanyahu refrained from detailing the specific actions but mentioned that they encompassed operations to capture the assailants and a series of additional offensive and defensive measures.
He emphasized that the decision was made after conducting a situation assessment alongside senior security officials, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
The incident occurred near al-Funduq, a Palestinian village situated in the northeastern West Bank, where assailants fired from a vehicle at an Israeli bus and a private car. Three Israelis, including two women in their 70s and a police officer, lost their lives, while seven others sustained injuries, according to the Magen David Adom rescue service.
The suspects escaped from the scene, prompting an ongoing manhunt, as stated by the Israeli military.
Israeli military personnel and Shin Bet agents have been dispatched to the area, preparing for potential retaliatory actions by settlers and working to obstruct settlers from accessing sensitive sites, as reported by Israel's Ha'aretz newspaper.
In recent times, there has been a surge in assaults by settler activists targeting Palestinian villages, including incidents of arson and occasional fatalities.
The shooting occurred amidst escalating tensions in the occupied Palestinian territories, which Israel captured during the 1967 war, while negotiators were convening in Doha, Qatar, for renewed efforts to establish a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
Earlier, Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a strong warning to Hezbollah, indicating that if the militant group does not withdraw all forces north of the Litani River, Israel will breach the ceasefire agreement.
The ceasefire stipulates that Hezbollah must relocate its fighters and weaponry north of the Litani River by January 26. By the same date, Israel is also required to completely withdraw its forces south of the Blue Line, the United Nations-demarcated border between Lebanon and Israel, while the Lebanese army is to deploy forces in that region.
During a visit to Israel's Northern Command on Sunday, Katz affirmed that Israel is committed to enforcing the agreement. Israel seeks to uphold the agreement in Lebanon, he stated.
