Hundreds Gather at Terror Site for Memorial Prayer for Slain Israeli

Hundreds of participants gathered at the Ein Ri'a spring near the settlement of Neve Tzuf in the Benjamin region on Thursday for a morning prayer and Hallel service in memory of Natanel Shokron, who was murdered there.

The memorial event took place a week and a half after Shokron was killed at the site while visiting the spring with his son on the eve of Yom Kippur. The spring was filled with prayers and songs during the service.

Following the attack, local youth undertook renovations of the spring and its surroundings, aiming to strengthen the site and demonstrate a continuation of life there. The event was a joint initiative of the Benjamin and Shomron regional councils, in cooperation with Binyamin Plus and the Ministry of Settlement and National Missions.

The prayer service, held during the intermediate days of Sukkot, included music by the band "Shir Chadash" and words of encouragement from Rabbis David Dudkovich, Gad Meketeh, and Shai Yaakovovitz.

Benjamin Regional Council head and Yesha Council chairman Israel Gantz stated, "The return to the spring is a victory of life over terror. The hundreds of people who arrived this morning strengthen the Shokron family and express the spirit of a people that continues to deepen its roots even out of pain." He thanked various officials and groups involved, adding, "The terrorists seek to instill fear and push us from our land. We will continue to build, strengthen settlements, and ensure the security of our residents through decisive action against terror. They will not defeat us."