Three Israelis were killed and eight more injured when Muslim terrorists fired on multiple vehicles. According to initial findings by the IDF, three Palestinian gunmen from the Jenin area in the northern West Bank carried out this morning’s deadly terror shooting attack in the village of al-Funduq. The victims of the attack are sister in laws Rachel Cohen 73 and Aliza Rice 70 both residents of Kedumim and Master Sgt. Elad Yaakov Winkelstein, 35, a resident of Karnei Shomron.
Initial reports indicate the terrorists who were armed with assault rifles first opened fire at a civilian car from a close-range, killing Cohen and Rice. After that the gunmen fired at a bus further away, injuring eight people. As the terrorists were shooting at the bus, an armed civilian opened fire with a handgun on the gunmen, causing them to get back in their car and flee. While the terrorists were fleeing, they opened fire on another car, killing Winkelstein. Winkelstein’s son was in the car and saw his father killed in front of him.
Chairwoman of the Land of Israel Caucus, MK Limor Sohn Har-Melekh, spoke to Israel National News about the fatal attack in Samaria in which her brother-in-law was injured.
“I send my sincere condolences to the families of the victims of the fatal attack today in Samaria. Unfortunately, one of the injured victims is my brother-in-law, a reservist who has been serving voluntarily in the Gaza Strip for a long time. He turned his car and created a barrier between the terrorists and the cars coming from the direction of Kedumim. As the terrorists passed his car, during their escape, they sprayed his vehicle with bullets,” said Son Har-Melekh.
She added, “We cannot continue to bury our heads in the sand. We must treat terrorists in Judea and Samaria in the same way that we treat terrorists in Rafah. They seek to destroy us and erase us from our land. If we do not understand this, we will continue to pay heavy prices. We must launch an offensive operation in Judea and Samaria to eradicate the terrorism.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu made the following statement regarding today’s attack:
“My wife and I send heartfelt condolences to the families of the three people who were murdered in the terrible attack this morning, and wishes for a full recovery to those who were wounded,” Netanyahu said. “We will find the abhorrent murderers and settle accounts with them and with all those who aided them. No one will get away.”
The military says two of the gunmen are known to the defense establishment and have been wanted for involvement in terror activity, while the third is still unidentified. A manhunt is currently underway for the three gunmen.