Israeli Ambassador to US Shares Update on Son's Critical Condition After Attack

Israel's Ambassador to the United States, Michael (Yechiel) Leiter, provided an update on his son Neriah's condition, who was critically injured in a car-ramming attack near the Makabim checkpoint on Route 443 last week. "My family and I thank everyone who is praying for us and supporting us during this time. Neriah's life is still hanging by a thread, but we have seen some encouraging signs and are holding onto them with hope," Leiter wrote on his X account.

Leiter also spoke about the role of prayer during his family's difficult period, requesting that prayers for Neriah also include other wounded individuals. "We believe in the power of prayer, that God hears prayers and can heal even when healing seems impossible. Alongside my deep gratitude to everyone who cares, I ask that prayers for Neriah also include wishes for a complete recovery for all those seriously injured by terrorists. Neriah and his friends are the heroes who ensure we can persevere and win the struggle against those who sow murder and destruction. This is a struggle for the future of civilization, no less," he wrote.

The attack occurred when Neriah, a reservist sergeant and resident of Havat Yair in the Samaria region, was in a police vehicle with an officer as part of a joint police and IDF operation. The terrorist, 29-year-old Suleiman Mahmoud from the village of Beit Ur al-Tahta, rammed his vehicle into Neriah. Forces at the scene shot and killed the attacker.

Neriah was evacuated to Shaare Zedek Medical Center, where he underwent a complex brain surgery that lasted for hours. In addition to the current severe incident, the Leiter family is also dealing with a heavy loss from recent years. Neriah's brother, reservist Major Moshe Yedidya Leiter, was killed in battle in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza about three years ago. Moshe, who commanded a company in the 697th Battalion, was 39 years old and left behind a wife and six children.