The scene of the attack in Eli
(Video: Hatzalah)
At least two people were killed in a shooting attack on Thursday afternoon at the gas station at the entrance to the West Bank settlement of Eli. The victims, who were declared dead at the scene, are described as a young man in his 20s and a man in his 40s.
Two terrorists were neutralized, one at the site of the attack and the other as he was trying to flee. Searches are underway for more terrorists and residents of Eli have been asked to remain indoors.
One of the owners of the Hummus Eliyahu restaurant at the station, who recently returned from reserve service in Khan Younis, shot at the terrorist and killed him. The terrorist has been identified as Muhammad Manassara, a resident of the Qalandiya refugee camp who was, according to reports, an Palestinian Authority police officer.
The attack occurred at the same site where a terror attack killed four Israelis last summer.
Ariel Elmaliach, head of the Eli settlement, called it a "serious attack."
"After the attack a year ago at the Eli gas station, another attack has taken place there. Now the security forces, together with the local chief of staff, are conducting searches on the spot. Unfortunately, the writing was on the wall."
According to Shin Bet data, since the beginning of the year about 200 terrorist attacks have been thwarted in the West Bank, of which about 150 were shooting attacks. About eight months ago, four people were murdered and four others were injured in a fatal shooting attack at the same gas station on Route 60. Three of the murdered dined at the Hummus Eliyahu restaurant located there, and the fourth was refuelin at the gas station.