‘Extremist breeding ground’: Attacks in Israel leave 1 dead, minister lambasts country’s Arabs
Israeli police said they had killed at least one attacker and were conducting searches for additional assailants. Residents in the area were instructed to remain indoors.
A top-ranking Israeli minister demanded “profound change” from the country’s Arab community and soldiers and large police forces were deployed after a gunman opened fire near the occupied West Bank on Sunday, killing at least one person and injuring six others around central Israel. The minister also flagged what he called an “extremist breeding ground”.
Israeli police said they had killed at least one attacker and recovered firearms. Searches for additional assailants were underway. Israeli media reported a second suspect was also killed even as residents were instructed to remain indoors.
How the attack unfolded
The attacks began at a gas station near the town of Kokhav Yair where a Palestinian citizen of Israel allegedly opened fire from a car around 10.30 am local time, according to local media reports. This first location is situated on the Israeli side of the boundary with the West Bank. Several other shooting incidents were reported shortly afterwards, including at least one inside the West Bank.
According to the Israel’s ambulance service, a 35-year-old man died of gunshot wounds, while five others were wounded, including two with what the ambulance service described as serious injuries.
Hamas praises shooting
The shootings took place in three separate areas in central Israel close to the Palestinian West Bank city of Qalqilya on either side of the boundary. Palestinian militant group Hamas praised the “heroic shooting attack” in a statement, but did not claim responsibility.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he held a security assessment and is monitoring the “deadly shooting attack.”
Top Israeli minister’s ‘terrorism’ charge
Hardline Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for a “profound change” among Israel’s Arab community, and claimed a “dangerous and extremist breeding ground for terrorism is growing that seeks to destroy the State of Israel.”
הגיע הזמן שנסתכל למציאות בעיניים. מתחת לאף של כולנו צומחת ערוגת טרור מסוכנת וקיצונית שרוצה לחסל את מדינת ישראל.
הפיגוע הנפשע הבוקר בלב השרון הוא קריאת השכמה מדממת לשינוי העמוק שצריך לקרות בקרב ערביי ישראל. מאות אלפי כלי נשק בלתי חוקיים כולל טילי נ״ט, מקלעי מאג ומטעני חבלה, לצד… pic.twitter.com/tFWqZe74Tw
— בצלאל סמוטריץ’ (@bezalelsm) June 7, 2026
Oshrit Gani Gonen, the regional council head for the area that includes the towns where the shootings took place, expressed surprise that the attacker had Israel nationality.
“Since October 7, the scenario we were expecting was terrorist crossing into our towns from over the boundary, I don’t think that anyone imagined that we would discover the attackers were Israeli citizens”.
Palestinian baby boy killed
The attack comes close on the heels of Israeli troops shooting at a vehicle in the occupied West Bank over the weekend after alleging it was accelerating towards soldiers. The Palestinian ministry said a seven-month-old baby was killed and the child’s parents were wounded in the incident.
With input from the agencies
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A top-ranking Israeli minister demanded “profound change” from the country’s Arab community and soldiers and large police forces were deployed after a gunman opened fire near the occupied West Bank on Sunday, killing at least one person and injuring six others around central Israel. The minister also flagged what he called an “extremist breeding ground”.
Israeli police said they had killed at least one attacker and recovered firearms. Searches for additional assailants were underway. Israeli media reported a second suspect was also killed even as residents were instructed to remain indoors.
How the attack unfolded
The attacks began at a gas station near the town of Kokhav Yair where a Palestinian citizen of Israel allegedly opened fire from a car around 10.30 am local time, according to local media reports. This first location is situated on the Israeli side of the boundary with the West Bank. Several other shooting incidents were reported shortly afterwards, including at least one inside the West Bank.
According to the Israel’s ambulance service, a 35-year-old man died of gunshot wounds, while five others were wounded, including two with what the ambulance service described as serious injuries.
Hamas praises shooting
The shootings took place in three separate areas in central Israel close to the Palestinian West Bank city of Qalqilya on either side of the boundary. Palestinian militant group Hamas praised the “heroic shooting attack” in a statement, but did not claim responsibility.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he held a security assessment and is monitoring the “deadly shooting attack.”
Top Israeli minister’s ‘terrorism’ charge
Hardline Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for a “profound change” among Israel’s Arab community, and claimed a “dangerous and extremist breeding ground for terrorism is growing that seeks to destroy the State of Israel.”
הגיע הזמן שנסתכל למציאות בעיניים. מתחת לאף של כולנו צומחת ערוגת טרור מסוכנת וקיצונית שרוצה לחסל את מדינת ישראל.
הפיגוע הנפשע הבוקר בלב השרון הוא קריאת השכמה מדממת לשינוי העמוק שצריך לקרות בקרב ערביי ישראל. מאות אלפי כלי נשק בלתי חוקיים כולל טילי נ״ט, מקלעי מאג ומטעני חבלה, לצד… pic.twitter.com/tFWqZe74Tw
— בצלאל סמוטריץ’ (@bezalelsm) June 7, 2026
Oshrit Gani Gonen, the regional council head for the area that includes the towns where the shootings took place, expressed surprise that the attacker had Israel nationality.
“Since October 7, the scenario we were expecting was terrorist crossing into our towns from over the boundary, I don’t think that anyone imagined that we would discover the attackers were Israeli citizens”.
Palestinian baby boy killed
The attack comes close on the heels of Israeli troops shooting at a vehicle in the occupied West Bank over the weekend after alleging it was accelerating towards soldiers. The Palestinian ministry said a seven-month-old baby was killed and the child’s parents were wounded in the incident.
With input from the agencies
