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Scene. Published by IMEMC News

The scene of the shooting attack near the entrance of Ma'aleh Adumim on Thursday. Credit: Olivier Fitoussi Published by Haaretz

Minister Ben-Gvir at the scene of the shooting attack on Thursday. Credit: Olivier Fitoussi Published by Haaretz

Traffic at the scene of the attack at the checkpoint at the entrace to Ma'aleh Adumim on Thursday. Credit: Olivier Fitoussi Published by Haaretz

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Two Palestinians Killed, One Injured, Near Occupied Jerusalem

by IMEMC News
Feb 23, 2024

On Thursday afternoon, the General Authority of Civil Affairs informed the Palestinian Ministry of Health of the identities of two Palestinian brothers who were killed near the az-Za’ayyem military roadblock, east of occupied Jerusalem.

The Ministry announced that the brothers, Muhammad Zawahra, 26, and Kazem Issa Ali Zawahra, 31, were killed on Thursday morning, while a third young man was injured after they allegedly carried out a shooting attack.

The third young man, identified as Ahmed Azzam Al-Wahsh, was also injured; the nature and severity of which was unknown at the time of writing this report.

Israeli occupation forces shot three Palestinian young men, on Thursday morning, near the az-Za’ayyem military roadblock, east of occupied Jerusalem, after an alleged shooting attack.

After the shooting, Israeli closed the az-Za’ayyem military roadblock and the Container military roadblock northeast of Bethlehem, and closed the entrances to several towns and villages

According to the Times of Israel, an Israeli colonizer from the illegal Ma’ale Adumim settlement was killed, and eleven others were injured during the attack.

Allegedly, the three young men opened fire with automatic weapons at Israelis waiting in traffic while heading toward Jerusalem on the Route 1 highway.

It added that they ran along the lines of cars waiting in the traffic jam, firing into the vehicles, before two of the accused gunmen were shot dead by security forces and armed civilians at the scene.

The third accused gunman fled the scene and was later “neutralized” and abducted by police.

In related news, Israeli forces invaded the homes of family members of the three accused attackers, and abducted several citizens.

The abductees included the father of the two slain men, Issa Ali Salah Zawahra, in addition to his son, Jaafar, and his two daughters, Zainab and Balqis, after storming their home in Beit Ta’mir village, southeast of Bethlehem in the southern West Bank.

Soldiers stormed the home of the third alleged attacker, and abducted his father, Azzam Ahmed Al-Wahsh, in addition to his three sons, Ibrahim, 18, Abdullah, and Abdul Rahman, and his daughter, Doha, 25.

403 Palestinians have now been killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank since the beginning of Israel’s military onslaught against the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.
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One Killed, 10 Wounded in Shooting Attack at West Bank Checkpoint

26-year-old Matan Elmaliach was shot and killed in Thursday's attack ■ Ten people, including a pregnant woman, were wounded ■ Police shot all three terrorists, killing two and wounding one

by Josh Breiner, Aaron Rabinowitz, Hagar Shezaf, Ido Efrati, and Jack Khoury for Haaretz
Feb 22, 2024 2:36 pm IST

A 26-year-old Israeli was killed and 10 people were wounded in a shooting attack near the West Bank settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim on Thursday.

A preliminary investigation of the shooting found that three terrorists arrived in two cars at the Al-Zaim checkpoint, just outside of the settlement, and began shooting cars standing in traffic using automatic weapons, including at M-16 and Carlo gun.

Police shot at the three terrorists involved in the attack, killing two and wounding one. Officers later discovered a grenade and ammunition in one of their cars.

Hours after the terror attack, the victim was identified as Matan Elmaliach.

The terrorists have been identified as two brothers – Muhammad Zuahara, 26, and Kadam Zuahara, 31– and Ahmed Alohash, 31, residents of villages in the Bethlehem area. Kadam Zuahara was imprisoned in the past for working in Israel illegally.

Several of the wounded were evacuated to the Shaare Zedek Medical Center and the Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital, including a pregnant woman.

"Based on the amount of weapons seized from the terrorists, this incident could have ended in a much larger number of casualties," said a senior security official. Police estimate the attack was planned for some time.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived at the scene of the attack and spoke to the press. The minister said he expects more barriers and restrictions on movement for Palestinians, adding that "The right to life of the Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria outweighs the right to freedom of movement of the residents of the Palestinian Authority."

Additionally, he said he would continue to distribute weapons to citizens. "A very big disaster was avoided here thanks to the fact that all the police officers have weapons and the citizens have weapons," said Ben-Gvir. "There were those who criticized me for that, but I think that today everyone understands that weapons save lives," he added.

Commenting on the attack, the heads of councils of the West Bank settlements said that traffic congestion at the checkpoints in general, and at the Al-Zaim checkpoint in particular, are a security risk and called for a solution, emphasizing West Bank roads where both Israeli and Palestinian vehicles travel.

Additionally, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded that Prime Minister Netanyahu "immediately approve plans for thousands of housing units in Ma'aleh Adumim and the entire area."

Arik Ben-Shimon, whose son Hananya was moderately wounded in the attack, his son shot at the terrorists and was hit with two bullets. He had returned from reserve duty in Khan Yunis last week and was on his way to work as a tour security guard Thursday morning. "He has a long rehabilitation ahead of him, but we're glad he got out alive. And it's clear to us that he's a hero," said Ben-Shimon.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad welcomed the attack but did not take responsibility for it. Both organizations called for increasing confrontations with the army and the settlers, especially in Jerusalem.

Less than a week ago, last Friday, two people were killed and four were injured in a shooting attack at the Ram intersection, near Gedera, where a terrorist fired at people at a bus stop.

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