Following the terror attack Friday morning near the Arab village of Tal, IDF soldiers are preparing for extensive counterterrorism operational activity in the sector.
Accordingly, soldiers’ leave across the sector has been postponed, and reinforcement of soldiers across the sector has been implemented.
Overnight, IDF soldiers apprehended nine wanted suspects who had incited terrorism and terrorist attacks, questioned additional suspects, and located weapons.
Over the past week, IDF soldiers apprehended more than 80 wanted suspects throughout Judea and Samaria, including individuals who incited terrorism, Hamas affiliates, perpetrators of stone-throwing and Molotov cocktail attacks, and terrorists involved in the manufacture and use of explosive devices.
Meanwhile, members of the hiking group attacked near Tal described the chain of events leading up to the murderous attack.
According to the hikers, the group of about 60 people set out from Har Bracha before dawn. They were accompanied by two armed escorts carrying rifles, as well as several civilians armed with handguns. During the hike, the group stopped at a spring near the Sela Ridge.
The hikers said the first incident occurred at approximately 7:05 a.m., when several Palestinian Arabs from the area arrived, throwing stones and attacking with clubs. One hiker was struck in the face, and the group withdrew before continuing toward Havat Gilad.
About an hour later, at approximately 8:05 a.m., the hikers said they came under a second attack, this time by dozens of Palestinians from the nearby village of Tal, who surrounded the group from three directions.
According to their account, armed civilians opened fire in self-defense, but the first soldier to arrive at the scene "refused to fire." Later, after additional troops arrived, the soldiers "did nothing and refused to open fire."
The hikers said civilian security personnel from Havat Gilad attempted to repel the attackers by firing warning shots into the air, while additional civilians attempted to help defend the group.
One of the attackers, described as a sheikh from the village, seized the weapon of one of the civilian security personnel and opened fire. Only afterwards did the soldiers return fire.