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Critically wounded father of young terror victims wakes up from coma

Seriously wounded in the attack that took the lives of two of his children, Avraham Paley is out of immediate danger.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

Avraham Paley, the father of two young boys murdered by a Palestinian terrorist on February 10 and seriously injured himself, is now awake, the Hadassah Medical Center announced Monday evening.

After more than two weeks in a medically induced coma, Paley’s condition has improved and he is “communicating with his surroundings,” said Dr. Vernon Van Heerden, head of the intensive care unit at the hospital’s Ein Karem branch.

Paley, who nevertheless remains in serious condition, has undergone more than one operation due to the complex injury to his legs after being rammed by the terrorist’s car.

His wife, Devorah, told religious radio station Kol Barama, “My husband is now out of life-threatening danger, thank God, and there is great improvement in his condition.”

He has not yet been informed of his sons’ deaths, however.

“Of course, he doesn’t know about the great disaster,” she added. “It will be complicated, but we will get through that, too.”

Terrorist Hossein Karaka, 31, rammed his car into a bus stop in the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalem on a Friday afternoon, instantly killing Paley’s six-year-old son, Yaakov Yisrael. His eight-year-old, Asher Menachem, succumbed to his injuries over the Sabbath, as did newlywed Shlomo Alter Lederman (20).

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Three others were injured in the attack, including a third, older Paley boy, who was only lightly hurt.

An off-duty police officer and other policemen shot and killed Karaka at the scene.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had immediately ordered that the terrorist’s family home be demolished. His eastern Jerusalem house was sealed while the investigation into the attack proceeded, but the Shabak, Israel’s Security Agency, subsequently recommended not to punish the family.

Their probe revealed that Karaka suffered from mental health issues, having been released from a psychiatric hospital just days prior to the attack, and that his family may have tried to persuade him not to follow through on his deadly intentions.

Ben-Gvir disagreed with the Shabak’s conclusions, but it is unclear as yet who will have the final say on the matter.