IDF finds gun used in deadly West Bank attack, but terrorist still at large

Army also recovers soldier’s rifle, which was stolen from the scene of shooting outside Givat Assaf outpost in central West Bank

Israeli soldiers recovered the Kalachnikov rifle used in a terrorist shooting attack that killed two soldiers and severely injured a third, as well as a civilian woman, last week, the army said Sunday.

Troops from the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet security service also found one of the soldiers’ rifles, which had been stolen from the scene, after the deadly attack near the Givat Assaf outpost in the central West Bank.

The terrorist behind the attack remained at large as of Sunday evening.

“Security forces are continuing in their efforts to search for the terrorists behind the recent attacks,” the army said in a statement.

The Kalachnikov and the soldier’s rifle were recovered several days ago, though this was barred from publication by the military censor.

Israeli soldiers, medical officials, and police inspect the scene of a terrorist shooting attack near the Givat Assaf settlement outpost in the central West Bank, on December 13, 2018. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

Two soldiers, Staff Sgt. Yovel Mor Yosef, 20, and Sgt. Yosef Cohen, 19, were killed in the Givat Assaf attack in the central West Bank.

The wounded soldier, Nathaniel Felber, remained in a coma as of Sunday, and was in critical condition.

His family thanked the public for its support.

משפחתו של נתנאל פלבר, הלוחם הפצוע קשה מהפיגוע בגבעת אסף מבקשת מהציבור להתפלל לרפואתו. נתנאל עדיין מורדם ומונשם במצב קריטי. ״אנו רוצים בהזדמנות זאת להודות לכולם על הדאגה, האהבה והתמיכה בימים קשים אלה. נתנאל תמיד חזר הביתה עם חיוך שהאיר את הבית״. pic.twitter.com/vSjmzShZ8Q

— צחי דבוש (@TsahiDaboush) December 15, 2018

The condition of the civilian woman who was seriously injured in the attack improved significantly, in the days following the attack.

According to the hospital, she has been moved to from a specialty recovery ward to a normal one.

The West Bank has seen an increase in the number of attacks on Israeli civilians and soldiers in recent weeks, after months of relative calm in the area, raising concerns of a potential renewed outbreak of regular, serious violence in the region.

A photo composite shows Sgt. Yosef Cohen (L) and Staff. Sgt Yovel Mor Yosef of the Israel Defense Forces’ Kfir Brigade. The two were killed on December 13, 2018, in a terrorist shooting attack outside the Givat Assaf settlement outpost in the central West Bank. (Israel Defense Forces)

The military blamed the increase in attacks both on terror groups’ persistent efforts, the “copycat” phenomenon, and a number of significant dates this week, notably the anniversary of the Hamas terror group’s founding.

Israeli security forces and forensic experts inspect the scene of a terror shooting outside the Givat Assaf settlement outpost, northeast of the West Bank city of Ramallah, on December 13, 2018. (Ahmad Gharabli/AFP)

On Wednesday night, the Israeli military arrested a number of suspects who were believed to have carried out a shooting attack on Sunday night, and shot dead a third, who security officials said tried to attack Israeli troops during an escape attempt.

In the attack, which took place outside the Ofra settlement, seven Israelis were injured. Among the wounded was a pregnant woman, whose baby died after being delivered prematurely.

During raids over the weekend, soldiers arrested 40 Palestinians throughout the West Bank who were suspected of involvement in terror and rioting, 37 of whom the Israel Defense Forces said were known Hamas operatives.

A Palestinian who shot dead two Israelis in a West Bank terror attack in October at the Barkan industrial zone was also killed early Thursday, during a shootout with IDF troops.