The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced today (Monday) their full responsibility for the attacks on the Gush Etzion and Karmei Tzur settlements near the city of Hebron in the southern West Bank last Friday night, as reported by the German News Agency.
The Al-Qassam Brigades stated, “Martyr Mohammed Marqa managed to detonate an explosive-laden vehicle at a gas station in Gush Etzion, aiming to lure enemy soldiers to the location. He then attacked the responding force with automatic weapons, killing and wounding several, including Gal Rich, the commander of the Etzion Brigade in the enemy army.” They also noted that “Martyr Zuhdi Abu Afifa was able to storm into Karmei Tzur after running over its guard and fired at a group of Zionists before detonating his vehicle inside.”
The Brigades revealed that these were among their first martyrdom operations in the Hebron Governorate, confirming their previous statements that all provinces of the West Bank would continue to hold more significant and painful surprises for the treacherous occupier. Al-Qassam emphasized its commitment to supporting their people in the West Bank by providing them with equipment, information, and preparing suicide attackers and executors of quality operations that will soon uproot the occupier from their land. The Israeli army had stated at the time that it neutralized several suspects in three security incidents in the northern West Bank.