Two of the seven people killed in a terrorist shooting at a synagogue in Jerusalem’s Neve Yaakov neighborhood were named on Saturday as the couple Eli and Natalie Mizrahi.
Elie’s father, Shimon, said the pair had gone out to try and help those who had been shot after they were killed by terrorists at point blank range.
Eli, 48, and Natalie, 45, had been married for only two years.
“We were in the middle of our meal, and there were several shots and my son jumped up. We yelled at him, ‘Don’t go anywhere,'” Simeon said.
“It seems he was talking with the terrorist, who pulled out a gun and shot him dead. [Eli] And his wife was murdered,” Simeon said. ,[The terrorist] was standing next to his car and he shot them. He got into the car and drove away.
The names of the other five victims, who were killed in a shootout by a militant on Friday evening, were not immediately known.
Members of the Jaka rescue and recovery team examine a body after a terrorist attack near a synagogue in Jerusalem, Jan. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illian)
At least three others were injured – Mount Scopus Hospital in Hadassah said on Saturday morning that a 15-year-old boy who was injured in the attack is now fully conscious and his condition is stated to be normal.
However, a 24-year-old man remained unconscious on a ventilator. His condition was serious but stable. Apart from this, the condition of a 60-year-old woman was also normal.
Police said on Saturday that 42 people had been arrested in connection with the attack, many of them relatives or acquaintances of the terrorist, including 21-year-old Alkam Khairi, an East Jerusalem resident who had no terrorism-related crimes.
Palestinian media said the gunman’s father was among those called in for questioning by police.
Alkam Khairi, 21, the suspected gunman in the Jerusalem terror attack on January 27, 2023 that killed seven people, is seen in an undated photo at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem (Social Media).
Police said on Saturday that the national alert level had been raised to the highest level as security forces across Israel and the West Bank were strengthened in the wake of the attack.
IDF chief Herzi Halevi issued instructions to increase forces in the West Bank and its security barrier as well as to prepare for a possible escalation in the area.
Senior police officers told Cannes public broadcaster they would increase forces across the country, particularly in Jerusalem.
Police have also stated that they were concerned about possible “price tag” retribution attacks against Arabs.
According to police, Khairi arrived at the synagogue in East Jerusalem at 8:13 pm in a car and opened fire on people and passers-by outside the synagogue.
He is believed to have waited outside the synagogue until Shabbat prayers were over, then opened fire on worshipers as they came out.
He then fled the car towards the Palestinian neighborhood of Beit Hanina – several hundred meters away – where, about five minutes later, he encountered officers who had been called to the scene.
Police said the terrorist – a resident of East Jerusalem – was shot after getting out of the car and opened fire on officers while trying to escape on foot.
The pistol used in the attack has been seized.
A gun used by a terrorist in a shooting attack in the Neve Yaakov neighborhood of Jerusalem on January 27, 2023. (Israel Police)
Security officials told the Walla News site on Saturday that Khairi had shown relatively advanced shooting skills during the attack, and an investigation was underway to determine whether he had received weapons training, and whether others were involved in the attack. already knew about it.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai said the attack was one of the worst Israel has seen in years.
“The terrorist shot everyone he encountered. He got out of the car and started a murderous attack with a pistol.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking after visiting the scene, called the attack “one of the most serious we have known in years”.
“Our hearts are with the families. I commend the police officers who acted so quickly, Netanyahu said. “We must act with determination and restraint. I appeal to people not to take law into their hands.”
He said the cabinet would convene later on Saturday, adding “we have decided on a number of immediate steps starting tonight.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the scene of a deadly terrorist shootout in Neve Yaakov, Jerusalem, January 27, 2023. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who is in charge of the police, arrived at the site of the attack, was briefed by police officers, and later accompanied Netanyahu when the prime minister arrived. The citizens present at the spot made various comments on the minister; Some called for “death to terrorists”.
“It’s on your watch!” cried a man. “Let’s see what you do now.”
Following the deadly attack, celebrations were held by some in several Palestinian cities in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
With seven deaths, the shooting in Jerusalem was the deadliest terrorist attack since 2011, when terrorists entered Israel from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, killing eight Israelis. It was the deadliest Palestinian terror attack since 2008, when a gunman in East Jerusalem killed eight Israeli students at the Markaz Harav yeshiva in the capital.
Friday’s deadly attack followed days of violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Tensions have risen dramatically since Thursday morning, when an Israeli Defense Forces raid against a terrorist cell in the West Bank killed nine Palestinians – most of them gunmen and cell members, though at least one The civilian was also killed.
The IDF said Thursday’s operation at the Jenin refugee camp was necessary to thwart plans for an impending attack by a local Islamic Jihad terror cell. According to the IDF, the group possessed explosives and firearms.
Hamas praised Friday’s attack as a response to Thursday’s IDF operation, but no terror group claimed responsibility.
saw thursday night rocket fire from Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza and Israeli retaliatory airstrikes, although both sides appeared intent on avoiding escalation into full-scale war.
Tension was still high in Jerusalem and the Temple Mount on Friday, although Muslim prayers went ahead without issue.
AFP contributed to this report.