A Palestinian gunman suspected of killing an Israeli soldier in East Jerusalem earlier this month was shot dead on Wednesday evening, after opening fire at security guards near the entrance to the settlement of Ma’ale Adumim.
Police officials confirmed that Udai Tamimi, who they say killed Sgt. Noa Lazar, 18, and seriously injured a civilian guard on October 8 at a checkpoint near the Shuafat refugee camp in East Jerusalem, was killed while carrying out another attack.
A security guard, 24, was taken by the Magen David Adom ambulance service to the Shaare Zedek hospital in Jerusalem, with an injury in his hand. He was listed in light condition.
Security camera footage of Wednesday’s attack showed a lengthy exchange of gunfire between Tamimi and the security guards.
Tamimi, 22, fled the scene of the attack earlier this month. He was thought by police to have been hiding in the Shuafat refugee camp since then.
Prime Minister Yair Lapid hailed the killing of Tamimi, and sent well wishes to the guard wounded in Wednesday’s attack, in a statement published by his office.
“We will not rest until we lay our hands on every terrorist who harms Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. We will act with an iron hand and without hesitation against terrorism,” Lapid said.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz also praised the security guards who shot Tamimi dead. “Their vigilance, professionalism and determination prevented further harm to human life,” he said.
“We will capture all the terrorists and their senders, we will act wherever and whenever it is required,” Gantz added.
Police on Tuesday morning arrested eight Palestinians, residents of the Shuafat refugee camp and the nearby West Bank town of Anata, suspected of aiding Tamimi in his escape.
The heavy police activity in Shuafat after the attack led to days of rioting in the refugee camp and other Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem.
Wednesday’s shooting came at a time of rising violence in the West Bank, as Palestinian gunmen have repeatedly targeted military posts, troops operating along the West Bank security barrier, Israeli settlements and civilians on the roads.
Israeli forces have ratcheted up arrest raids and counterterror efforts in the West Bank since a spate of terror attacks against Israelis in the spring killed 19 people.
An Israeli woman was killed in a suspected attack last month, and another four soldiers have been killed in the West Bank in attacks and during the arrest operations.
A wanted Palestinian man arrested in the northern West Bank early Wednesday was reportedly a member of an armed group that has claimed responsibility for numerous shooting attacks in the West Bank in recent months.
According to Channel 12 news, Fawaz Abadin, a Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance driver, is suspected of being affiliated with the group calling itself “Lion’s Den.”
The anti-terror offensive launched earlier this year has netted more than 2,000 arrests during the near-nightly raids in Palestinian cities, towns, and villages.
It has also left around 100 Palestinians dead, many of them while carrying out attacks or during clashes with security forces.
By Emanuel Fabian, Times Of Israel
