3 hurt in West Bank terror shooting attack on cars, school buses

IDF launches manhunt for terrorist behind assault on vehicles on Route 90, in Jordan Valley town of al-Auja; 13-year-old boy among the injured

By Emanuel Fabian 28 March 2024, 9:46 am Edit

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

Rescue workers at the scene of a terror attack near the West Bank town of Al-Auja, March 28, 2024. (Rescuers Without Borders)
Rescue workers at the scene of a terror attack near the West Bank town of Al-Auja, March 28, 2024. (Rescuers Without Borders)

Three Israelis were wounded in a terror shooting attack against school buses and other cars on a major highway in the West Bank on Thursday morning, the military and medics said.

The attack took place in the West Bank town of al-Auja. Route 90, the main north-south artery in the Jordan Valley, passes through the Palestinian town.

Two bulletproof school buses and at least two cars were hit in the attack as they drove through al-Auja, according to medics and local authorities.

In one of the cars, a 30-year-old man was shot and left in moderate to serious condition and another man was shot and lightly hurt, the Magen David Adom ambulance service said.

The Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital later said the first man’s condition had improved and he was now listed in moderate condition.

In the second car, a 13-year-old boy hit by glass shards was said to be in good condition.

Both vehicles continued driving after coming under attack, meeting up with medics at the settlement of Kibbutz Na’aran, north of al-Auja, and at the settlement of Na’ama, south of the Palestinian town.

MDA said it took the three victims to hospitals in Jerusalem.

There were no injuries in the bulletproof school buses that came under fire.

Dashcam footage captured when one of the buses came under fire. Another clip from after the attack showed more than six bullet impacts on the side of the bus.

A separate image from another dashcam video showed the gunman, who appeared to be dressed in all green, opening fire with an assault rifle.

The IDF said it had launched a manhunt for the terrorist, and that troops were blocking roads in the area.

Security forces in Jerusalem and the West Bank have been on high alert since the start of Ramadan earlier this month. Tensions were already high between Israelis and Palestinians due to the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, triggered by the October 7 massacre in which Hamas terrorists murdered about 1,200 people and kidnapped 253.

Since October 7, the IDF has said, troops arrested some 3,600 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank, including more than 1,600 affiliated with Hamas.

Palestinians say over 450 people have been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank since hostilities broke out, most while carrying out attacks or during clashes with IDF troops during nightly raids that have largely concentrated on a handful of areas in the northern West Bank. However, killings of innocent bystanders have also been alleged.

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