Two Israelis have been killed and eight wounded after a terrorist opened fire at a military checkpoint near the village of Tayasir in the West Bank this morning.
Two of those injured remain in critical condition in hospital after the army post was stormed by a gunman wearing a green combat vest.
But a pair of IDF reservists have been confirmed dead following the attack.
One was named as Sergeant Major (res.) Ofer Yung and the other as Sergeant Major (res.) Avraham Friedman
IDF reservist Ofer Yung was confirmed dead following the attack (Image: IDF)[Missing Credit]
Avraham Friedman was the other soldier to be gunned down (Image: IDF)[Missing Credit]
A statement from Magen David Adom added that six people were given initial medical treatment on site and then evacuated via helicopters to Israeli hospitals – four to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, and two to Rambam Hospital in Haifa.
Israeli forces "eliminated” the terrorist following an exchange of fire, the IDF said.
Images circulating on social media, allegedly of the terrorist after the attack, showed him dressed in a dark hoodie, jeans and trainers with a green, military-style vest over his torso.
The site of the attack is around 15 miles from Jenin, where Israeli forces have been conducting a major counterterror mission, dubbed “Operation Iron Wall,” for the past two weeks.
The IDF on Monday expanded the operation and plans to form a new battalion that will remain in the Jenin and Tulkarem areas once the operation ends.
Israeli forces have killed more than 50 Palestinian terrorists since the start of the operation on January 21, the military said on Sunday evening.
“During the operation, the forces located and confiscated dozens of weapons, destroyed hundreds of explosive devices and dozens of additional charges that were planted on roads to harm our forces,” a military spokesperson added.
But humanitarian organisations have raised concerns after a two-year-old girl was shot dead by soldiers on January 26.
Laila al-Khatib was shot in the head in the so-called “Martyrs’ Triangle” area of the city, while her pregnant mother was also injured, according to a Reuters report. The toddler later died of her “critical” injuries.
The IDF said it would investigate the incident but claimed that soldiers opened fire on a building after receiving “intelligence” that it was housing Palestinian militants.
Thousands have also been forced to flee the nearby Jenin refugee camp as the IDF conducts raids and air strikes in the area.
