Man Murdered Before Son's Eyes at Spring; Hamas Terrorist Captured

Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral of Natanel (Nati) Sharon, who was killed in a shooting attack near the Ein Ri'a spring in the West Bank on the eve of Yom Kippur. Sharon, 48, a father of six, was shot and killed in his car by a Hamas terrorist while with his 16-year-old son, shortly after they performed a traditional immersion ritual.

The terrorist, identified as 37-year-old Hamas operative Qadri Samara, had allegedly scouted the area the day before, anticipating a crowd due to the holiday. He reportedly opened fire at close range as Sharon and his son returned to their vehicle after the ritual.

Sharon sustained fatal wounds, while his son was physically unharmed. A tracker from the Benjamin Brigade, who was nearby in an armored vehicle, immediately returned fire, wounding the terrorist and forcing him to flee. The injured attacker sought medical treatment at a clinic in Ramallah, where he was apprehended in his bed by Duvdevan Unit soldiers.

Initial investigations suggest the terrorist acted alone. Sharon, described as a humble and beloved man, worked as an information systems analyst and was a member of a long-standing family in the Ali Zahav settlement. He is survived by his wife, Merav, a computer science doctor and AI lecturer at Ariel University, and their six children, the eldest in 11th grade and the youngest just four years old.