Hamas Assault Near Hebron Leaves Two Israeli Troops Dead
Two Israeli soldiers were killed and three were wounded in a Hamas attack near Hebron. Hamas praised the assault as heroic and called on Palestinians to target Israeli military personnel and civilians.
The assault occurred Friday morning at a temporary military checkpoint near Hebron. Two Hamas gunmen arrived in a vehicle bearing Israeli plates and fired a handgun and an M-16, killing two soldiers and wounding three. A firefight lasted over 20 minutes before troops killed both attackers.
The dead soldiers were Staff Sgt. Ron Yonatan Roytman, 23, and Sgt. Yuval Shai Svilem, 20. Israel’s preliminary probe suggested the gunmen had intended a larger attack on Route 35 but instead struck the checkpoint. The attackers were identified as Mohammad and Firas Jaaba, 27-year-old Hebron residents. Israeli forces cordoned the area and raided suspects’ homes; Hamas praised the attack and urged more violence.
The attack may heighten security fears among Israelis, especially soldiers and civilians near West Bank roads, while cordons and raids could further restrict daily life for Palestinians in Hebron. It could increase pressure on Israeli leaders to expand counterterrorism operations and deepen distrust between communities. Hamas’s praise may also raise concerns about further violence, though the actual impact will depend on subsequent security and political responses.