Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Monday to take strong action and defeat what he called a “wave of terror.” In a statement, Netanyahu said Israel is increasing its anti-terror operations with thousands of police in Jerusalem and more soldiers in the West Bank.
The move comes after a rise in violence over the past five days.
On Thursday, an Israeli couple were shot and killed in the West Bank in front of their four children, officials said. Five people were arrested Monday in the shooting, lsrael’s Securities Authority spokesperson said in a statement.
Israel’s Security Authority said those arrested were members of a cell affiliated with the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Nablus and admitted their involvement in the shooting.
On Saturday, a 19-year-old Palestinian attacked and killed two Israelis with a knife in Jerusalem’s Old City, according to authorities.
Police say they killed the attacker in a gun battle. He was identified as Mohannad Shafik Halabi from near Ramallah, in the West Bank.
On Monday, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy was shot and killed when riots broke out in Bethlehem in the West Bank, the child’s uncle and eyewitnesses told CNN.
The teen was walking from school with friends and tried to hide when they saw the clashes but a sniper shot him in the chest, eyewitnesses said.
The IDF said rioters in the area had attacked security forces in recent days with rocks, Molotov cocktails and IEDs. They pledged an investigation into the boy’s death.
“We are allowing our forces to take strong action against those who throw rocks and firebombs,” Netanyahu said adding that there are no restriction on the action of Israeli security forces.
“The police are going deeply into the Arab neighborhoods, which has not been done in the past. We will demolish terrorists’ homes,” Netanyahu said.