Two brothers murdered in Samaria terror attack, hours after Israel agrees to curb counterterror activities

This was the second time in recent weeks, during an upsurge in Palestinian terror attacks, that a family lost two sons.

By World Israel News Staff

Two Israelis were killed in a terrorist shooting attack in Samaria Sunday afternoon, just hours after Israel committed to reduce its counter-terror activities in Judea and Samaria.

The victims were later identified as Hillel Menachem Yaniv, 22, and his 20-year-old brother, Yigal Yaakov Yaniv.

The attack occurred in the Arab village of Huwara, south of Nablus (Shechem) in Samaria, when terrorists opened fire on a passing Israeli civilian car, then fled the scene.

Magen David Adom emergency first responders and army medics were dispatched to the scene to treat the wounded and evacuate them to the hospital.

Both of the victims were listed in critical condition, but later succumbed to their wounds.

“When we arrived, we saw the two wounded victims lying next to their car, unconscious,” said MDA paramedic Gil Bismut.

“Together with an IDF medical team, we provided first aid in the field, then we loaded the victims onto army ambulances, which evacuated them to the hospital.”

IDF forces were also dispatched to Huwara following the shooting, cordoning off Route 60.

Israeli security personnel have launched a manhunt for the terrorists responsible for the shooting.

“This, unfortunately, was a very serious attack,” Samaria Regional Council chief Yossi Dagan said. “The government must change the paradigm from defense to offense. Terrorists cannot be allowed to open fire on innocent civilians in broad daylight.”

“The absolute arrogance of these terrorists proves that our deterrence has been lost. We must change the live-fire regulations, bring back the checkpoints, and proactively work to hit the Palestinian Authority’s terrorist infrastructure.”

The attack comes just hours after Israeli officials took part in an emergency summit in Aqaba, Jordan, aimed at lower tensions in the region.

During the summit, Israeli officials agreed to reduce its counterterror activities in Judea and Samaria, Hebrew-language Yediot Aharonot reported.

“We are giving it a chance,” an Israeli security official was quoted as saying in the report. “We will only act in the face of ticking bombs or an urgent operational need.”

Shlomo Neeman, head of the Judea and Samaria Council said “We join the call to return the Aqaba delegation, terrorism must not be supported. It is forbidden to have a dialogue with an enemy that produces, arms, finances terrorism and continues to pay salaries to terrorists.”

“Only heavy-handed action against the enemy and continued development of the settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria will be a real barrier to the enemy,” he said.

“I call on the Prime Minister to return the Israeli delegation from Aqaba immediately,” Finance Minister and Religious Zionism party leader Betzalel Smotrich said.

This was the second time in recent weeks, during an upsurge in Palestinian terror attacks, that a family lost two sons.

Eight-year-old Asher Paley and his six-year-old brother Yaakov were murdered along with newly-wed chassid Shlomo Alter Lederman by a terrorist who rammed into a bus stop in Jerusalem on February 10th. Another brother was lightly injured; their father was seriously hurt in the attack and remains in hospital.