Palestinian factions and military wings on Friday praised the killing of two Israeli settlers, a married coupled, who were shot dead between the illegal Israeli settlements of Itamar and Elon Moreh near Nablus.

Eitam and Naama Henkin, both in their 30s, were killed while driving on Thursday night between the illegal settlements of Itamar and Elon More.
Their four children, aged between four months and nine years, were found unharmed in the back of the car.

The Popular Resistance Committees said that the recent killings of Palestinians — including three members of the al-Dawabsha family and Hadeel al-Hashlamun, 18, in Hebron — “needed a painful response to settlers to stop their terrorism against our people in the West Bank.”

The military spokesperson of the al-Nasser Salah al-Din Brigades, the military wing of the PRC, said the attack was a “natural response” to Israeli violations against Palestinians and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

“Resistance is the most effective way to stop Israel and its violations, and violations against the Al-Aqsa Mosque and against worshipers in Jerusalem calls upon the resistance forces to escalate its operations wherever there are settlers on Palestinian land.”

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said Palestinians have the right to defend their land, while the National Resistance Brigades, the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, said Palestinians have the right to resist in all forms, calling for a “joint operation” by factions to respond to Israeli crimes.

Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, also praised the attack, with spokesperson Abu Obeida adding that the shooting in Nablus would not be the last.

The Fatah movement in Nablus said the killing of the two settlers was a “natural response” to Israel’s military occupation, saying it held the Israeli government responsible for any escalation by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli media has reported that the Abdel Qader al-Husseini Brigades, affiliated with Fatah’s military wing, have claimed responsibility for the shooting, calling it a “necessary action.”

Israeli army spokesman Arye Shalicar said security forces were conducting an “intensive search” on the ground combined with intelligence efforts, while Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said security forces would “spare no efforts to arrest the killers and their sponsors.”

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the killings, which he called “the effects of Palestinian incitement,” vowing security services would work to “capture the murderers and improve security for all Israeli citizens.”

AFP contributed to this report.
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