3 Jews Murdered in Terror Attack in Elad

Three Jews were murdered Hy”d and several others wounded in the chareidi city of Elad on Thursday evening, the latest in a series of horrific attacks on Israeli civilians in recent weeks.

Zaka said that a terrorist wielding an axe and knives assailed passersby on Ibn Gavirol Street in the central Israeli city.

Magen Dovid Adom reported that it received a call about a violent incident at 8:36 p.m. and dispatched paramedics to the scene.

Police said that they suspected two terrorists were involved and have launched a manhunt. Two men were said to have fled in a vehicle, and police have closed off roads in the area in their effort to capture them.

Local authorities ordered residents of Elad to remain in their homes until further notice.

MDA said that in addition to the three people killed, two were in serious condition, one in moderate condition, and another lightly wounded.

The two victims in serious condition, aged 60 and 35, were evacuated to Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer and Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus, where they were sedated and intubated.

A 40-year-old man, moderately wounded and transported to Beilinson, and a 23-year-old male who reportedly fought with the terrorists was taken in light condition to the hospital.

Moshe Sadon, head of Hatzalah in Elad, said that “To our great sorrow, we were forced to report the deaths of three people, despite our efforts to save them.

Aharon Zilberman, a Zaka volunteer among the first to arrive at the scene, said that eyewitnesses told him of two terrorists who went at passersby “with axes and knives. The murderous rampage extended from Ibn Gavirol to the Ampi Park. There were cries for help and horrible sights. People were strewn on the road and the street.”

“Zaka volunteers are doing the holy work at the scene, the hardest of all,” he said.

One witness told Channel 12 of the harrowing experience of encountering a terror attack while driving home from shopping.

“I was in my car and suddenly I heard screams of ‘medic, medic!’” Netanel Birnbaum tells Channel 12.

“I stopped right away. There was a medic with me who just ran to the area and started doing resuscitation on a person,” he said. The Hamas terror group praised the vicious attack: “The terror attack in Elad is a response to our people’s rage over the occupation’s attack on our holy sites,” it said without specifically taking responsibility for it.

On Thursday evening, Defense Minister Beni Gantz met with Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, the head of the Armed Forces and the head of the Ministry of Defense.

At the end of the assessment, the Defense Minister announced these actions:

• The closure in Gaza and Judea and Samaria will be extended until Sunday. Another assessment will be made after the weekend.

• The police will be reinforced with the help of scans, and are instructed to use all the forces necessary to close the seam area and the crossings in order to prevent a possible escape of the terrorists to Judea and Samaria.

• Focus will be given to relevant intelligence and offensive efforts.

The Minister of Defense said that this was a serious attack, which is part of a series of attacks. He added that the defense establishment would extract a heavy price for the attacks and incitement, and that he shared in the grief of the families of the dead and wished the wounded a recovery.

Late Thursday evening, authorities released the identity of three of the victims. Yonatan Chabakuk, Hy”d, a father of 10 children, was identified as the first victim of the terror attack. Boaz Gol, Hy”d, was identified as the second victim, and Oren Ben Yiftach, Hy”d, of Lod, 37 years old and a father of 6 children, was identified as the third victim.