Palestinian gunmen kill Israeli soldier
Palestinian gunmen have killed an Israeli soldier in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli military says, and a local armed group has claimed responsibility for the roadside ambush.
The shooting took place near a Jewish settlement located between Nablus and Jenin, Palestinian towns where intensified army raids over the last six months have been launched by Israel after a spate of lethal street attacks in its cities.
Announcing the soldier’s death, a military spokesman said searches were underway for the gunmen who escaped in a car.
The Den of Lions, a group of Nablus gunmen with loose factional affiliations, claimed responsibility in a statement.
Israel’s Prime Minister Yair Yapid said: “Today, a holiday turned into a day of sadness and pain. It was with great sorrow and pain that I received the news of the death of an IDF soldier from the Givati Brigade Reconnaissance Unit, Staff Sergeant Ido Baruch, who fell in the line of duty in a shooting attack by a despicable terrorist.
On behalf of myself and the Government of Israel, I send condolences to his family and fellow soldiers in the brigade. There are no words to express the great pain and sorrow. We will not stop until these murderers are caught.
AAP/J-Wire
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