IDF soldier who shot brutal family-killing terrorist gets award for bravery

The soldier honored for neutralizing a terrorist who was in the midst of slaughtering the Salomon family said he’d prefer it had never happened.

The off-duty soldier who shot and incapacitated the terrorist who murdered three members of the Salomon family in Neve Tzuf/Halamish has been awarded a citation for bravery.

On July 21, Palestinian terrorist Omar al-Abed entered the family’s home and stabbed to death Yosef Salomon, his son Elad, and his daughter Chaya as the family celebrated the birth of a new grandson. He also seriously injured Yosef’s wife Tova. Abed was lightly wounded.

Hearing screams from the Salomon house, “Ayin” (identified by the first Hebrew letter of his name), an off-duty soldier from the Oketz special forces unit, grabbed his gun, ran out and, upon observing the scene, fired a single shot through the window, putting an end to the carnage.

Ayin and his father, Shimon Maoz, alerted security forces and continued to search the house for additional terrorists.

‘We Would Prefer to Turn Back the Clock’

In awarding the citation, the head of the IDF’s Judea and Samaria Command said Ayin had “engaged the enemy and displayed perseverance, bravery and balanced judgement that had prevented a worse disaster.”

Maoz received a certificate of appreciation for showing “bravery and exemplary citizenship”

The Maoz family told Tazpit Press Service (TPS) that they received news of the citation and certificate of appreciation with mixed feelings.

“We did our civil duty as everyone would have, but we would prefer to turn back the clock and bring back our beloved neighbors, the Salomon family,” they said.

By: TPS