Four Israeli soldiers, including an officer, were wounded on Wednesday night during an operation to secure entry for civilians to the Joseph’s Tomb compound in Shechem (Nablus).
An improvised explosive device was set off as the soldiers passed by. Thirty-nine people were injured in related clashes, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.
The wounded troops were evacuated to Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah. The officer and two of the soldiers were lightly wounded, while the fourth was in moderate condition, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
Worshippers’ access to the tomb complex remains open in spite of the attack, according to the IDF.
The Nablus Battalion, part of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group, reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.
“We are praying from the depths of our hearts for the safety of the soldiers who secured this entrance,” said Knesset member Zvi Sukkot, in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“Terror will not win, in the merit of Joseph the righteous,” he added.
