Teenager Killed in Hit-and-Run After Altercation at Shopping Center

A 17-year-old boy was killed early Friday morning after being struck by a commercial vehicle in the "Village" shopping complex in Hadera. The incident began around 1:40 AM when a group of youths attending a "Slichot" (penitential prayers) event got into an argument with the driver of a commercial vehicle who was delivering goods. During the confrontation, the driver got into his vehicle and ran over the teenager, who was critically injured and later pronounced dead at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center. In response to the incident, another youth present at the scene shot the driver, causing a minor injury. Both the driver, who was arrested, and the shooter have been detained. The driver claimed he feared for his life and was trying to escape. The Shin Bet initially investigated but removed its involvement after ruling out any nationalistic motive, with police confirming the incident was purely criminal. The victim was identified as Amihai Atia, a 12th-grade student from the settlement of Itamar. He was the son of Sagith and Yona Atia and had five siblings, including a twin brother. The head of the Shomron Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, and the mayor of Hadera, Nir Ben-Haim, are coordinating support for the family and the community. Dagan expressed shock and sorrow, stating, "Amihai was a young man with his whole life ahead of him." The Itamar community also expressed deep grief, remembering Amihai as a beloved, values-driven, and vibrant youth leader.