Victim in Gush Etzion terror attack identified as Aharon Cohen of Kiryat Arba

A veteran resident of Kiryat Arba was killed Tuesday in a combined ramming and stabbing attack at the Gush Etzion Junction, prompting widespread condemnation from local leaders and U.S. officials.

Authorities identified the victim as 65-year-old Aharon Cohen, a longtime member of the community. Relatives said he leaves behind six children and grandchildren.

The Kiryat Arba-Hebron Municipality said the news had shaken the city, issuing a statement that the community “bows its head and shares in the grief of the Cohen family following the murder by evildoers of Aharon Cohen, may God avenge his blood.”

Municipal officials said the entire city was extending condolences and support “in this difficult hour.”

The attack unfolded when two assailants from the nearby town of Beit Ummar accelerated toward pedestrians at the busy junction and then exited their vehicle to carry out stabbings.

Civilians carrying weapons, along with reservists from the IDF’s 7491 Battalion, intervened and shot both attackers. Security forces later reported that pipe bombs were discovered inside the vehicle used in the assault.

Emergency responders treated multiple casualties at the scene before transporting them to hospitals in Jerusalem.

A woman in her 40s was listed in serious condition, while a man in his 30s and a 15-year-old boy sustained moderate injuries. They were taken to Shaare Zedek Medical Center and Hadassah Ein Kerem.

The attack sparked immediate criticism of the recent UN Security Council decision related to future Palestinian statehood. Gush Etzion Regional Council head Yaron Rosenthal argued that the vote signaled encouragement to those seeking to attack Israelis. He said the incident came “less than 24 hours after the UN passed a resolution intended to eventually legitimize a Palestinian state,” adding that Israel should confront terror in Judea and Samaria with the same determination applied in Gaza.

The Yesha Council echoed those concerns, warning that diplomatic steps seen as opening a “pathway to a Palestinian state” would embolden hostile groups. The organization called on MK Boaz Bismuth, chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, to advance a sovereignty bill already approved in its preliminary reading.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also condemned the attack, saying, “Terrorists murdered an innocent man – may his memory be a blessing – and injured several others in a vicious attack near Gush Etzion Junction today. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel and fully condemn these cowardly acts of savage violence. Janet and I pray for the victims and their families.”