Two killed, 4 hurt in terror attack at Re’em Junction in south Israel; gunman dead
Victims of shooting near Kiryat Malachi identified as Yishai Gartner, 23, of Modiin Illit, and reservist Ori Yaish, 27, of Modiin; two of the wounded listed in serious condition
Two Israelis were killed and four others were wounded, including two in serious condition, in a shooting attack at a junction in southern Israel on Friday afternoon, police and medics said.
The terror attack took place at Re’em Junction, just north of the city of Kiryat Malachi, shortly after 12:30 p.m.
Police said the terrorist arrived at the scene in a vehicle and opened fire at people at a bus station with a handgun, before he was shot and killed by an off-duty IDF reservist officer at the scene.
The terrorist was identified by the Shin Bet as Fadi Jamjoum, 37, from East Jerusalem’s Shuafat. He holds Israeli residency.
A large number of police officers were conducting searches at the scene to ensure no other terrorists were involved, although law enforcement officials indicated that the terrorist had likely acted alone.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service said its medics treated six people at the scene, including a man in his 20s in critical condition who was later declared dead at Rehovot’s Kaplan Medical Center.
MDA said it also treated three people in serious condition, one of whom was also declared dead at Kaplan.
One of the victims was identified later Friday as Yishai Gartner, 23, of Modiin Illit.
On Saturday evening the second fatality was named as IDF reservist Sgt. First Class (res.) Ori Yaish, 27, of the Jerusalem Brigade’s 8119th Battalion’s support company, from Modiin.
Two other people, including a 65-year-old woman, were listed in moderate condition.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the shooting attack showed that “the murderers want to kill us all.”
“I send my condolences from the bottom of my heart to the families of those murdered in the attack at Re’em Junction, and pray for the well-being of the wounded,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
“This attack reminds us that the whole country is a front and that the murderers, who come not only from Gaza, want to kill us all,” he said.
“We will continue to fight until complete victory with all our strength, on every front, everywhere, until we restore security and peace to all citizens of Israel,” Netanyahu added.
The terror attack came amid Israel’s war against the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip.
Tensions in Israel and the West Bank have been high since October 7, when some 3,000 terrorists burst through the Gaza border into Israel in a Hamas-led attack, killing at least 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and seizing 253 hostages.
Israel responded with an aerial campaign and subsequent ground operation with the goal of destroying Hamas and ending its 16-year rule over Gaza and securing the release of the hostages.
The Israel Defense Forces has continued to operate throughout the West Bank and police have been on high alert in Israel, in light of concerns about a possible escalation of violence.
