After third attack in 24 hours, leaders call on IDF to respond to West Bank terror with 'iron fist'

ByJAMES GENN, MIRIAM SELA-EITAMJULY 24, 2026 10:07Israeli lawmakers and leaders called for the IDF to respond to the Friday morning terror attack in Gilad Farm, which killed one and seriously wounded two others, "with an iron fist.""A tough morning. I send my heartfelt condolences to the family of the murdered, pray for the recovery of the wounded in the attack, and embrace the residents and hikers," Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said in a post to X/Twitter on Friday morning."We will not normalize the erosion of deterrence and the brazenness of our enemies in recent weeks against the pioneers of settlement and the farms. I demand that the IDF act with an iron fist against the village of the murderers and its surroundings and restore governance and deterrence," he added."The people of the farms and the heroic settlement pioneers are the defensive wall of the State of Israel. We will continue to strengthen and honor them for their steadfast stand for our existence in the Land of Israel against Arab terrorism.""Attack after attack. Our hearts are with our brothers at Gilad Farm on this difficult morning," echoed former prime minister Naftali Bennett in his own statement following the attack.Magen David Adom paramedics respond to a shooting near Gilad Farm, West Bank, July 24, 2026. (credit: MAGEN DAVID ADOM)"Sending heartfelt condolences to the family of the murdered, and praying for the recovery of the wounded. The entire people of Israel stand with the IDF and the security forces in their war against the murderers and their senders. The terror must be eradicated with an iron fist," Bennett added."The cities and villages of the murderers in Judea and Samaria will be judged the same as Beit Hanun in Gaza," said National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, adding that he is on his way to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and will "demand that the IDF be ordered to erase from the air and through D9 [bulldozers] the homes of terrorists and their supporters, and to collect from the terrorists the price they deserve.""For every Jew who is murdered - the enemy must absorb the loss of lands and homes.""This is the language spoken in the Middle East, and as we spoke it in Gaza, it is time to speak it in Judea and Samaria as well," he said.Terror will not break us, Dagan saysSamaria Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan added that the incident is still ongoing."The incident is still ongoing. There are still people in danger. Terror will not break us," Dagan said. "The response must be offensive: We must relentlessly pursue the terrorists and strike terrorism with full force.""At the same time, we must continue to build, develop, and strengthen the communities in Samaria. Anyone who tries to harm us should know that they will be met with a stronger and larger Samaria.""I demand that the government launch a large-scale military operation against the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, who are trying to ignite a wave of terrorism here. We've seen it over the past week. We expect the government and the military leadership to carry out a major operation, a real military campaign, in Samaria, here near Gilad Farm, to make it clear that Israel has changed the rules of the game and will not tolerate a wave of terrorism," he added.Area is 'burning'"The shocking attack this morning, which joins yesterday's attack and the wave of fires and repeated arsons, illustrates that these are not isolated incidents but planned and ongoing terrorism," Mateh Binyamin Regional Council Head Israel Ganz said."The area is literally burning," he stated. "The wave of arsons, attempted attacks and the ongoing incitement by the Palestinian Authority are part of a single campaign aimed at harming the settlement and the citizens of Israel.""Judea and Samaria is not a secondary arena. It is a central front of the State of Israel, and the policy here must change accordingly, by launching a broad operation against the centers of terror, exacting a heavy price from anyone involved in terrorism or incitement, and stopping treating these attacks as routine," Ganz said."We pray for the full recovery of the wounded and wish strength to the security forces, IDF, and pioneering farmers who stand on the front lines and protect Israeli citizens with their bodies every day," he stated.Follow us on Google