Wife of Slain Israeli Man Thanks Hero Who Saved Son

Hundreds mourned Natanel (Nati) Shkaron, who was murdered in a shooting attack near the Ein Ri'a spring in the West Bank on the eve of Yom Kippur. Shkaron, a father of six, was killed in his car in front of his 16-year-old son.

The funeral procession began in the settlement of Ali Zahav and proceeded to the local cemetery. Shkaron was described as a benevolent and humble man. His wife, Merav, recounted their life together and thanked him for saving their son Yoav at the last moment. Yoav himself expressed gratitude for his survival and for his father's heroism.

Shkaron's daughter Talia spoke of his emphasis on family and his commitment to tradition, while his younger daughter Yael's eulogy, read by her mother, highlighted his love for the land of Israel.

The attack occurred as Shkaron and his son were returning to their car after immersing in the spring. The terrorist, identified as Kadri Samara, a 37-year-old Hamas operative, had reportedly scouted the area beforehand. A tracker from the Benjamin Brigade who was nearby opened fire, wounding the terrorist and preventing further casualties. The wounded terrorist was later apprehended by Duvdevan unit soldiers in a Ramallah clinic.

Shkaron worked as an information systems analyst and was a member of a long-standing family in Ali Zahav. He is survived by his wife, Merav, a computer science doctor and AI lecturer at Ariel University, and six children.