'Israeli' army locks down West Bank town linked to deadly ramming-stabbing operation
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- 'Israeli' army raids Qabatiya, imposing full lockdown following a deadly multi-stage ramming and stabbing operation that killed two 'Israelis' in northern 'Israel'.
- Military operations target homes and streets, with soldiers patrolling, a school converted into a military post, and dozens of residents questioned amid heightened security.
The 'Israeli' army conducted operations Saturday in the Palestinian town of Qabatiya in the occupied West Bank, following a deadly multi-stage operation carried out by a Palestinian man from the area.
Read more: Two ‘Israelis’ killed in ramming-stabbing operation
"Full lockdown"
'Israeli' Defense Minister Yoav Gallant described the village as under a “full lockdown.”
On Friday, the executor entered 'Israel' and killed two 'Israelis' in northern 'Israel'. The operation began in the illegal settlement of Beit She'an, where he used a vehicle to strike a passerby, resulting in the man’s death.
He then moved toward Route 71, fatally stabbing an 'Israeli' woman. The executor ended in the city of Afula, where an armed civilian shot and wounded him, and he was later hospitalized.
The executor, a 34-year-old resident of Qabatiya, reportedly “infiltrated several days ago,” according to 'Israeli' military officials.
Footage obtained by AFP on Saturday showed 'Israeli' soldiers carrying automatic rifles patrolling Qabatiya streets, accompanied by armored vehicles. Shops remained closed, but some men and children were seen moving around the town.
Minister Gallant stated, “The army is acting decisively against terrorist cells in Qabatiya, enforcing a full lockdown of the village. We apply an unrelenting offensive policy against Palestinian terrorism.”
According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, eyewitnesses reported a “tight lockdown” and a field interrogation campaign targeting dozens of residents. 'Israeli' forces raided several homes, converted a school into a military post and detention center, and set up barriers to block roads.
Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir ordered reinforcements to the area, citing the threat posed by "lone attackers and illegal residents in Israel". “We must strengthen law enforcement against those who transport and use them,” he said, adding, “At the same time, we must enhance our ability to identify attackers and thwart their operations.”
Local resident Muhannad Zakarneh told AFP that soldiers arrived at his home at 6 a.m. and detained him for hours. “This is not the first time. They handcuffed me for four to five hours without explaining why,” he said.
Another resident, Bilal Hanaysha, condemned what he called “collective punishment,” noting that road closures prevented him from taking his elderly brother to a doctor.
The recent attacks come amid escalating violence in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war and ongoing 'Israeli' military operations in the occupied territories.
