Israeli Farmer Seriously Wounded in Stabbing Attack Near Alon Moreh, Two Assailants Killed

Itamar Cohen, 51, a co-founder of agricultural farms in the West Bank, was seriously injured in a stabbing attack near the "Derech Avraham" farm close to the settlement of Alon Moreh in Samaria on Thursday afternoon. Emergency medical teams treated Cohen at the scene before airlifting him to a hospital for further care. Two assailants were neutralized on site by an Israeli civilian who was present during the attack.

The incident began while Israeli civilians were attempting to extinguish a fire that had broken out at the farm. During these efforts, two terrorists stabbed Cohen, who sustained serious upper body wounds. An Israeli civilian responded by opening fire and killing the attackers. Following the attack, the IDF imposed a siege on the nearby village of Beit Furik.

The fire's cause is under investigation by the Samaria Fire and Rescue District and the Judea and Samaria Police District. Police confirmed that the stabbing occurred amid efforts to put out a fire believed to have been deliberately set. Magen David Adom emergency medic Israel Arbus described providing life-saving treatment, including stopping the bleeding, before Cohen was evacuated in serious condition.

Cohen's wife reported that he remains conscious but is in pain and emotionally distressed. She called on the public to pray not only for his recovery but also for unity among the people of Israel. Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, condemned the attack as a severe terror incident linked to incitement by the Palestinian Authority and terrorist groups. He urged the Israeli government to take a firm stance against terrorism and vowed that the settlers would prevail.

The farmers' association noted that the attack occurred during the fast of Tisha B'Av, as volunteers rushed to combat the fire. They expressed solidarity with Cohen's family and called for harsh measures against arson terrorism to protect farmers and volunteers on the front lines. Aircraft were deployed to assist in extinguishing the fire near Alon Moreh.