GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Amid a general uptick in Palestinian attacks against Israelis on the West Bank, at least two deadly attacks claimed by Hamas have raised speculation that the movement has activated cells to put pressure on Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Hamas’ military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades on Dec. 13 claimed responsibility for the Dec. 9 shooting attack near the Ofra settlement, east of Ramallah, that wounded 11 Israelis. The group also took responsibility for an Oct. 7 incident at the Barkan settlement in which a Palestinian who worked in a nearby Israeli factory shot and killed two settlers and wounded a third. The brigades threatened to carry out additional attacks.
The Israeli army conducted raids and arrests on Dec. 11, and during Dec. 13-14 apprehended and shot and killed the perpetrators of the October and December attacks. Later on Dec. 14, two Israeli soldiers were shot and killed, and others wounded, near Silwad, north of Ramallah, by a man Israeli authorities believe to be affiliated with Hamas and who remains at-large.
The increase in violence comes after Israeli military Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot warned in mid-September of a possible implosion on the West Bank. According to data released by Shin Bet Dec. 13, the number of attacks by Palestinians against Israeli soldiers and settlers there totaled 64 in August; 70 in September; 95 in October; and 114 in November. The perpetrators used knives, guns, rocks and Molotov cocktails.
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