Arab media sources reported Friday morning that large IDF forces entered the town of Halhul north of Hebron overnight and searched several homes, as part of an attempt to locate the terrorist or terrorists who murdered Corporal Dvir Sorek Hy’d near kibbutz Migdal Oz in Gush Etzion.
Searches were also carried out in Beit Fajar village next to the Migdal Oz.
It is believed that the attack was not an abduction attempt, and that the IDF and the Shin Bet have obtained material clues and investigative leads that should result in the arrest of the terrorist squad responsible for the murder.
Given the available information so far, it is estimated that the squad will be caught.
The defense establishment estimates that this was not an opportunistic attack, but a pre-planned one. Concerned that the same cell will try to carry out another attack, the IDF has beefed up the forces in Judea and Samaria.
One of the issues being investigated at this point is why the guard at the gate of Migdal Oz did not notice what was going on.
Recently, the IDF has established the Tzakam (Hebrew acronym Special Missions Combat Team), designed to handle scenarios like this one: a sudden murderous attack and the escape of the terrorist squad.
Tzakam Depth was the first unit to spring into action following the murder and has entered one of its most significant operational tests: assistance to all forces in the manhunt for the terrorists; exerting pressure on the local Arabs, who know that the attack and the kidnapping attempt will be met with a heavy cost in terms of ongoing military presence and the disturbance of their daily routine; and providing a sense of security to the residents of Judea and Samaria.
