Soldier Killed in Shooting Mishap to Be Laid to Rest

Shachar Strug, z”l, a Duvdevan Special Command soldier who was killed in a gun accident Tuesday night, will be laid to rest Wednesday afternoon in his home town of Givatayim in central Israel. Military police have opened an investigation into the incident, which occurred at an army base in the center of the country, and initial evidence indicates that the soldier was killed when another soldier apparently accidentally set off a loaded gun, with the bullet striking Strug in the chest. Military police are investigating several angles, including negligence and illicit use of weapons. The soldier who set off the gun has been detained and is being questioned by officials.

Early Wednesday, IDF soldiers arrested seven Arab rioters in the Yericho area. The rioters attempted to interfere with soldiers who were trying to carry out a mission. A vehicle that was used by the rioters was also confiscated.

IDF forces overnight Tuesday confiscated terror funds from a house in the village of Beit Omar, near Chevron. The funds, amounting to tens of thousands of shekels, were part of payments made by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority to the families of terrorists for committing terror acts against Israelis, officials said.

Overnight Tuesday, security officials said they arrested 15 wanted security suspects in other areas in Yehudah and Shomron. The suspects were wanted for participating in rioting and throwing stones and firebombs that endangered Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. Several of the suspects were also charged with belonging to Hamas. All were being questioned on their activities by security forces.