A 21-year-old IDF soldier was killed on Tuesday at noon in a drive-by shooting attack near the yishuv of Shavei Shomron, the second soldier to be killed by a shooting attack in four days.

A preliminary investigation of the attack revealed that a vehicle with the terrorist arrived at the Ganot intersection next to Shavei Shomron and opened fire with an automatic weapon at an IDF post. The terrorist then sped off in the direction of a Palestinian village before the soldiers at the scene could return fire.

One of the bullets hit a soldier’s upper body. He received emergency medical aid at the scene and was evacuated to Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba but unfortunately, his death was later pronounced at the hospital.

The soldier was later identified as Ido Baruch, h’yd, a Givati soldier from Gedera.

The “Lion’s Den” terror group in Shechem issued a statement claiming responsibility for the attack.

Israeli security forces launched a manhunt for the terrorist, setting up roadblocks and entering several nearby villages. The manhunt for the terrorist who killed an IDF soldier and seriously wounded a security guard on Motzei Shabbos is also still ongoing.

“The weakness of this government is costing us in blood,” said Yossi Dagan, the head of the Shomron Regional Council, following the attack. ” We’ve been warning, begging, and screaming for over a month: Close the checkpoints, collect the weapons, stop the incitement, and carry out a military operation against the Palestinian Authority, which is inciting this wave of terror.”

“The quality of life of the terror supporters in Shechem is worth more than the blood of Israeli citizens. We pay the price via the blood of civilians, the blood of soldiers, and the blood of security guards at checkpoints. This government needs to go home because it is forfeiting the lives of Israeli citizens and soldiers. Stop prioritizing the quality of life of our enemies over the lives of Israeli citizens.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)