Israeli officials are moving forward with plans to establish two new Jewish communities and six agricultural farms in the southern Chevron Hills following Friday’s deadly terrorist shooting, which claimed the lives of two IDF soldiers. The initiative, announced by the Har Chevron Regional Council, is intended to expand Jewish settlement throughout the area and strengthen security in the wake of the attack.

The eight proposed sites are being advanced in cooperation with the Defense Ministry’s Settlement Administration and the Amana settlement organization, with local officials presenting the initiative as a response to the terrorist attack and an effort to reinforce Israel’s presence in the region.

According to the regional council, the new communities and farms will help connect existing Jewish population centers, safeguard state-owned land, and strengthen security along roads and across open areas that have presented challenges for residents and security forces.

The two planned communities are Magad, which will be situated between Negohot and Eshkolot, and Nofei Gulot, to be established between Otniel and Afeka. Both locations are intended to strengthen the network of Jewish communities in the southern Chevron Hills.

The proposal also calls for six agricultural farms at strategically selected locations throughout the region, with one of them planned near the scene of Friday’s deadly shooting.

Mitzpe Tzur Farm is slated to be established near Telem, in close proximity to the location where the two soldiers were killed. Another site, Noi Farm, is planned between Karmei Yehuda and Adora, while Lev Amit Farm is to be developed between the recently established community of Makeda and Adora.

Three additional farms are planned farther south and east. Eshel Farm will be located between Negohot and Eshkolot, near the proposed community of Magad. Lema’an Achai Farm is planned between Otniel and Shima, while Mitzpe Or Farm will be established between Carmel and a nearby nature reserve in the Judean Desert.

The agricultural farms are intended to serve a broader purpose than farming alone. Such outposts have increasingly become part of efforts to maintain a Jewish presence across large stretches of rural territory, particularly in areas between established communities where access, land use, and security have been longstanding concerns.

The announcement follows Friday’s shooting near the Judea Junction area, where two IDF soldiers were killed in a terrorist attack that prompted widespread mourning and renewed attention to security conditions in the Chevron region.

The attack has also intensified calls among local Jewish leaders for additional security measures and expanded settlement activity, with regional officials arguing that a stronger permanent presence can help improve conditions for residents.

Har Chevron Regional Council head Eliram Azulai said the decision to establish the eight sites reflects the determination of local residents to continue developing the area despite the deadly attack.

“Terrorism seeks to destroy lives, spread fear, and undermine our hold on our homeland, but our historic and Zionist response is being written on the ground. We will not retreat or give in,” Azulai said.

He emphasized that the initiative was being advanced amid the grief surrounding the deaths of the two soldiers, describing the expansion plans as an expression of the community’s resolve.

“Out of the immense pain and grief over the loss of our heroic soldiers, we choose life and deepen our roots. The establishment of two communities and six farms sends a clear message: We are here to stay, build, and grow,” he added.

The announcement marks a significant proposed expansion of Jewish settlement in the southern Chevron Hills, an area that includes established communities, agricultural outposts, and large stretches of open terrain.

Although the council has announced the locations and identified the organizations supporting the initiative, a detailed construction timetable has not been provided. The announcement also does not establish that all necessary government approvals have been completed.

For the residents of Har Chevron, the proposal represents a concrete response to Friday’s tragedy, with regional leaders seeking to turn the aftermath of the attack into an opportunity to strengthen the Jewish presence in the area.

The announcement comes as Israeli security forces conduct a broader counterterrorism operation in the Chevron area following Friday’s shooting. The two fallen soldiers have been identified as Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman, 23, of Ashkelon, a squad commander in the Ari Battalion of the Search and Rescue Brigade, and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem, 20, of Hod Hasharon, who served in the same battalion. Three additional soldiers were lightly wounded in the attack.

According to the IDF, the two terrorists arrived at the junction in a vehicle bearing Israeli license plates and opened fire on soldiers stationed in the area. The attackers, who were armed with an M-16 rifle and a handgun, were subsequently eliminated by Israeli forces. Military officials said a substantial quantity of ammunition was discovered in their vehicle, raising concerns that the terrorists had intended to carry out additional attacks.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said the soldiers’ response prevented a potentially greater loss of life, while Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu ordered intensified security operations in the region.

Israeli forces have since launched searches, arrests, and operations against suspected terrorist infrastructure in and around Chevron. The military has also carried out demolitions in areas near the attack site, while Palestinian officials have reported that large numbers of residents were displaced during the operation.

The proposed construction of two communities and six agricultural farms adds a civilian development initiative to the Israeli government’s broader response to the attack, with regional leaders emphasizing their determination to expand the Jewish presence in the southern Chevron Hills.