Slain Israeli Father Buried; Son Recounts Heroic Rescue

Natanel Shkaron, 48, who was killed in a shooting attack near the Ein Ri'a spring in the West Bank, was laid to rest Tuesday night in the settlement of Ali Zahav in the Samaria region. Shkaron, a father of six, was murdered while preparing to immerse in the spring before Yom Kippur.

During the funeral, his son Yoav, who was with him during the attack, recounted his father's final moments. "Thank you, Dad, for what you told me and for saving me," Yoav said. Shkaron's widow, Merav, a computer science doctor and lecturer at Ariel University, described how her husband warned Yoav of the attacker in his last second, saving their son's life. "Thank you Nati for your bravery and for seeing Yoav," she said, adding that her husband was a devoted family man who always honored his parents and hers.

Merav also shared details from the day of the attack, explaining that Natanel had convinced the children to join him for the ritual immersion, while she was visiting her parents. He had told her he would follow shortly after. She also mentioned their upcoming family trip abroad, which Natanel had meticulously planned to strengthen their family bond.

Regional Council of Samaria head Yossi Dagan and other military officials, including the commander of the Central Command, Maj. Gen. Avi Blott, and the commander of the Judea and Samaria Division, Brig. Gen. Kobi Heller, attended the funeral. Dagan addressed Yoav, calling him a true hero for listening to his father's warning and escaping the attacker, thereby saving others at the spring.

Shkaron worked as an information systems analyst for the insurance company Hachshara. His family noted that his grandfather, a district rabbi in Algeria, was murdered on the steps of a synagogue approximately 70 years ago. The attack occurred amidst a wave of violence in the West Bank, including two stabbing attacks in Samaria and a shooting attack in the Sharon region.