An Israeli man was shot dead in a shooting attack near the West Bank settlement of Neve Tzuf (Halamish) on 20 September 2026. This attack occurred before the Jewish Yom Kippur holiday began and it triggered an immediate security response.
Shooting Takes Place Near Natural Spring
According to Israeli authorities and reports from The Times of Israel, Israelis had gathered at a natural spring near Neve Tzuf. The location was visited ahead of Yom Kippur, when immersion in water is a traditional practice for some Jewish people.
The attacker opened fire from a vehicle on people at the site. The victim, who was in his car, suffered critical gunshot wounds.
The man was taken to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, where he died from his injuries. The Times of Israel said he was Netanel Shukrun, father of six from Alei Zahav.
Suspected Shooter Wounded While Fleeing
According to the Israel Defense Forces, the suspected gunman fled the area on foot. An IDF combat tracker from the Binyamin Regional Brigade opened fire at the fleeing suspect, wounding him.
The suspect then reached his vehicle and drove toward a hospital in Ramallah.
The Israeli security forces then tracked the suspect to the medical facility. Commandos from the Duvdevan Unit, acting on intelligence from the Shin Bet, captured him at the hospital a couple of hours after the shooting, the IDF said.
Vehicle Seized During Arrest
The military said the suspect's vehicle was also found outside the hospital and seized as part of the investigation.
Reuters reported that the suspected shooter was arrested at a hospital in Ramallah after the fatal attack. The agency stated that the incident was in fact the result of a Palestinian gunman based on Israeli police and military officials’ statements.
Separate Incident Involving Palestinian Driver
On the same day, the IDF reported another incident in the northern West Bank near the site of the former settlement of Ganim.
According to the military, a Palestinian driver attempted to ram soldiers with a vehicle and was shot dead. A second person in the vehicle was detained. Reuters said it could not independently verify the military's account of the alleged ramming attempt.
It was not yet clear whether the two incidents were connected, police said.
Security Measures Ordered
Following the violence, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said additional security forces would be deployed in the West Bank and ordered arrests and increased security operations.
The attacks occurred in the area on the eve of Yom Kippur, the Jewish religious observance.
The shootings and circumstances of the attack are still under investigation. The capture of the suspected shooter means that Israeli authorities have the suspect in custody and are investigating the attack and possible accomplices or wider connections.
