Three Israelis wounded in two terror attacks in Gush Etzion, West Bank

Three Israelis were wounded in two nearby terrorist attacks in the Gush Etzion in the West Bank late Friday night, the IDF announced.

Two people were first wounded after a car exploded near a gas station the Gush Etzion Junction. The IDF assessed that the explosion was an attempted terrorist attack that failed, during which, after the terrorist noticed his car was starting to burn, he got out and tried to attack workers at the station, but was killed by security guards.

Documentation of the incident shows the terrorist trying to escape the scene.

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MDA paramedics arrived at the scene, provided medical treatment and evacuated to Shaare Zedek Hospital a 24-year-old man in moderate condition and a 34-year-old man in light condition with gunshot wounds to his limbs.

Around the same time, a security guard was lightly wounded in the Karmei Tzur settlement when a terrorist who broke into the settlement, ran over the guard and entered the settlement. The terrorist was later eliminated by IDF forces.

The explosives found on the vehicle were not a standard material, Israeli media reported.

It was later discovered that the terrorists had coordinated their attacks, according to Kann. 

Trying to find a link

After that, the vehicle which the terrorist used to enter the settlement exploded, Israeli forces discovered that it was another car bomb.

Initial examinations of the vehicle explosion at the Gush Etzion gas station indicated that the incident was an attempted car bombing by a terrorist, the IDF confirmed in the early hours of Saturday morning.  

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group responded to the two incidents, saying that these latest operations "are a new security blow to the enemy, and that they should expect more attacks everywhere."

The Hamas terror group also issued a statement on Saturday praising what it called a "double heroic operation" in the West Bank, saying it "is a clear message that resistance will remain striking, prolonged and sustained as long as the brutal occupation's aggression and targeting of our people and land continue."

In the Karmei Zur community, a terrorist infiltrated the compound, prompting the Head of Security to pursue the terrorist by car. The terrorist's car later collided with the security vehicle and the terrorist was eliminated.

During the confrontation, an explosive device in the terrorist's car detonated.

Searching for terrorists

The military later updated that security forces were continuing to conduct scans to rule out the possibility of additional terrorists in the Karmei Zur community; the commanding officer of the Central Command arrived at the scene of the terror attack and conducted a situational assessment.

While searching for terrorists, the commander of the Etzion Regional Brigade sustained minor wounds. Additionally, an IDF officer was moderately wounded, and a reservist officer working in a nearby community sustained minor injuries.

The two terrorists killed in the overnight attack were identified as Hebron residents in their 20s. Israeli media reported their names as Muhammad Ahsan Yakin Marka, who was eliminated following the gas station explosion; and Zadi Nadal Tawfik Abu Afifa, who was neutralized in Karmei Tzur.

The IDF began making arrests on Saturday afternoon in the West Bank city of Hebron, according to Palestinian media reports. 

Maariv Online and Reuters contributed to this report.