Israeli man shot dead in West Bank and Palestinian driver killed by soldiers

On Sunday, violence erupted in the West Bank after a suspected Palestinian gunman killed an Israeli man, according to police. The assailant opened fire from a vehicle at Israelis gathered near the settlement of Neve Tzuf, east of Ramallah, resulting in the victim's death, police confirmed. The gunman was later apprehended at a Ramallah hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police reported.

In a separate incident, Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian motorist who, according to the military, attempted to run them over near the settlement of Ganim, further north in the West Bank. The soldier had been shot and killed, while no soldiers sustained injuries, the military stated.

The timeline of these incidents, occurring on the eve of the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, remains unclear. It is not known if the two events are connected.

Following the violence, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered security agencies to increase their presence and conduct arrests and offensive operations in the region.

Palestinian militant group Hamas praised the killing of the Israeli but did not claim responsibility. Since Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli military offensive in Gaza, violence in the West Bank has intensified. This includes a surge in attacks by militant settlers on Palestinians, as well as extensive Israeli military raids and Palestinian counterattacks on Israelis.