Lone Hamas Operative Carried Out Deadly Ein Râaya Spring Attack
Security officials believe the Hamas operative who murdered Natanel Shkaron near Ein Râaya spring acted alone. The 37-year-old operative, who came from the Bir Zeit area, had scouted the location the day before the attack, which occurred on the eve of Yom Kippur. He reportedly arrived by car, exited, and opened fire on people at the spring, exploiting the large number of visitors for ritual immersion before the Jewish holiday.
Shkaron was in a vehicle with his 16-year-old son, who was unharmed but witnessed his father's fatal wounding. A tracker on patrol at the site noticed the attacker early on, opening fire and wounding him. The assailant returned fire before fleeing. Intelligence indicated the wounded suspect escaped to a hospital in Ramallah.
Special forces from the Duvdevan unit and the Shin Bet security agency apprehended the suspect at the hospital. The vehicle used in the attack and the weapon were also seized. Investigations are ongoing to determine if the attacker had accomplices or contacts.
Natanel Shkaron, a resident of the settlement of Ali Zahav and a father of six, succumbed to his wounds at the hospital. He had come to the spring with his eldest son for pre-Yom Kippur immersion. Shkaron is survived by his wife and six children, ranging in age from four to high school. His funeral was scheduled for Monday night, after Yom Kippur.
