Gaza-based terror organization Hamas hailed the fatal stabbing on Thursday of off-duty IDF soldier Dvir Sorek, 19, from the West Bank settlement of Ofra.
"The attack in Etzion is a powerful response to talks of annexing the occupied [West Bank]," Hamas said in an official statement.
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"This is a decision of our people to expel the occupier from the bank. It's proof that our people's intifada continues in the West Bank and that the young do not renounce their struggle until the occupation has vanished and settlers are expelled," said Hamas.
Hamas also said the attack "proves" that Israel's policy of security coordination with the Palestinian Authority was a failure.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad also hailed the terror attack, issuing a statement that called it a "heroic [attack] which sends an important message."
Earlier on Thursday, Palestinian news outlets reported that the IDF was conducting operations in the Palestinian village of Bayt Fajar.
As of Friday morning, no arrests had been made.
Netanyahu: We will deepen our roots in our homeland
Laying a cornerstone for the construction of 650 new housing units in the Beit El settlement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "We promised to build hundreds of housing units – today we are doing it, both because we promised and because our mission is to establish the nation of Israel in our country, to secure our sovereignty over our historic homeland."
"We know that the land of Israel is bought in agony. Today another one of our sons fell. He was from a family that has already made a heavy sacrifice for the land of Israel. These vicious terrorists, they come to uproot – we come to plant. They come to destroy – we come to build. Our hands will reach out and we will deepen our roots in our homeland, in all parts of it," the prime minister concluded.
This article was originally published by i24NEWS.
