New Details Emerge in West Bank Terror Attack, Revealing Hamas Operative's Reconnaissance

New details from the investigation into the terror attack at Ein Ri'a spring in the Benjamin region reveal that the perpetrator, 37-year-old Hamas operative Qadri Samara, had surveyed the area a day before the attack. Investigators believe he exploited the large number of people visiting the spring on the eve of Yom Kippur for ritual immersion. On the day of the attack, he arrived, opened fire on Natanel Shkaron's vehicle, and is suspected of murdering him. Shkaron, a father of six from the settlement of Ali Zahav, was at the spring with his eldest son, an 11th-grade student. The son survived unharmed, with the investigation highlighting the crucial role of a nearby tracker in saving his life. The tracker, from the Benjamin Brigade and present in an armored vehicle, identified Samara and opened fire, wounding him. Samara then fled the scene injured.

Samara escaped to a clinic in Ramallah, where he was apprehended by Duvdevan unit soldiers while in bed. Images of his capture were later circulated on Palestinian social media. Initial findings suggest Samara acted alone. Following the attack, IDF forces raided the town of Biddo, northwest of Jerusalem, where Samara resided. Palestinian reports indicate forces surrounded a mosque and took control of a house, detaining approximately 50 people as part of the manhunt and investigation.

Natanel Shkaron worked as an information systems analyst and is survived by his wife, Merav, and six children, the oldest of whom was with him at the spring and the youngest is four years old. His funeral was scheduled for 11:00 PM. The Ali Zahav community eulogized Shkaron as a kind, humble, and beloved man and a devoted father. The community pledged support to his family. The investigation is ongoing, with forces continuing operations against terror infrastructure in the area.