According to a report by Al-Jazeera on Sunday, June 7, 2026, Hamas’s armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, has claimed responsibility for a shooting incident in central Israel that left at least one person dead and several others injured, according to statements released by the group.
In a statement, the Qassam Brigades praised what it described as “the heroic operation in the settlement of Kochav Yair,” referring to the attack in which armed assailants opened fire, killing one person and wounding five others. The group said the operation was carried out by one of its fighters.
Israeli authorities have not independently confirmed the affiliation of the attacker, and investigations into the incident are ongoing. Security forces in the area reportedly responded to the scene shortly after the shooting, securing the location and launching a search operation.
The Qassam Brigades stated that the attack formed part of what it described as a broader campaign of resistance, framing it as retaliation against Israeli military actions and ongoing tensions in the region. In its statement, the group said: “This operation, along with last night’s car-ramming attack, was an act of self-defence and a response to the aggression of the occupation and its settlers.”
The reference also included a separate incident at the Efrat Junction in the occupied West Bank, where reports indicated that two teenage girls were wounded in a vehicle-ramming attack. Israeli officials have attributed similar incidents in the past to lone attackers or militant groups operating in the West Bank, though investigations typically remain ongoing in the immediate aftermath.
The latest claim comes amid sustained violence and unrest across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, where sporadic attacks, military raids, and retaliatory operations have continued to fuel instability. Central Israel, in particular, has witnessed heightened security concerns in recent months, with authorities increasing patrols and deploying additional forces in response to perceived threats.
The Israeli government has consistently condemned attacks targeting civilians, describing them as terrorism, and has pledged to continue countermeasures against armed groups operating in Gaza and the West Bank. Meanwhile, Palestinian factions, including Hamas, often describe such operations as part of resistance against Israeli occupation.
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