Israeli victim of West Bank shooting identified as Benayahu Mellet, 32

The Israeli victim of the shooting in the West Bank is identified as 32-year-old Benayahu Mellet, settlement officials say.

Mellet was part of the civilian defense team from the settlement of Havat Gilad.

According to the IDF, Palestinians confronted Israeli “hikers” near the village of Tell and one of them stole the weapon of the security coordinator and opened fire, killing Mellet and wounding several others.

At least four Palestinians were killed in the incident.

The statement says Mellet was married, a father of two, and responsible for agriculture at the settlement.

Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, calls Mellet “a man with a heart of gold, a true and dedicated family man, who loved the Land of Israel with all his soul and was a member of a family with deep roots.”