Samaria town locked down over fears of terrorist infiltration

Local authorities in the Samaria town of Avnei Hefetz briefly ordered residents to stay indoors due to a suspected infiltration on Wednesday.

“Due to fear of a security incident, please enter the houses, close windows and doors and wait for instructions,” the Samaria Regional Council, which administers the area, said in a message to residents.

According to initial reports, the alert was issued after security forces discovered a breach in the town’s fence near a local synagogue. Israel Defense Forces soldiers were said to have been dispatched to the scene.

Earlier on Wednesday, an Israel Defense Forces soldier died after being critically injured in a terrorist truck-ramming attack near the Jewish community of Beit El in Southern Samaria.

In the first half of 2024, Judea and Samaria saw more than 500 terrorist attacks each month on average, according to figures published on Aug. 1 by Rescuers Without Borders (Hatzalah Judea and Samaria).

During that period, first responders recorded 3,272 terrorist acts in the region, including 1,868 cases of rock-throwing, 456 fire-bombings, 299 attempted bombings and 109 shootings.

Terrorists murdered 14 people and wounded more than 155 others in Judea and Samaria between January and June, the rescue group said.