Mother of Seven-Year-Old Hallel Murdered in Beit Shemesh Recalls Final Morning Embrace

Tamar Dadon, mother of seven-year-old Hallel who was murdered at his grandmother's house in Beit Shemesh, spoke with Esti Perez Ben-Ami on Kan News Radio about the tragic event. Tamar described her son as a bright and curious child who loved books and puzzles, and recalled how he surprised her by visiting for her birthday, a visit that tragically turned into a funeral. On the morning of the attack, Tamar said Hallel gave her a long hug and they spent twenty minutes together in bed, an unusual moment for them.

The attack occurred when a mentally unstable neighbor broke into the grandmother's home where Hallel and his four-year-old cousin were playing. Both children were stabbed; Hallel was critically injured and later pronounced dead at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, while his cousin sustained moderate injuries. Tamar recounted receiving a call about the stabbing while she was out shopping and voting for the Likud party, initially fearing a nationalist attack but later learning it was a disturbed individual responsible.

The suspect was arrested by police, and Tamar does not know him personally. Her brother found the children in critical condition and called emergency services. Paramedics described the scene as chaotic, finding the nine-year-old unconscious and the four-year-old conscious but injured. The incident has shocked the community and is part of a broader context of violence, with related cases of youth killings being investigated and prosecuted.