May 05, 2022: Yonatan Havakuk, 44, was killed in an attack conducted by two Palestinians, who were seen on security cameras in the vicinity carrying a firearm and an axe, in Elad Israeli city in the Central District.
Israeli sources reported, that besides Yonatan, two other men, Oren Ben Yiftah, 35, and Boaz Gol, 49, were also killed in Elad, and four others were injured.
The sources added that Yonatan Havakuk and Boaz Gol, both from Elad, will be buried in Petah Tikva and Jerusalem, while Oren Ben Yiftah of Lod will be laid to rest in his hometown.
Israeli police identified the two suspects in the attack as As’ad Refa’ey, 19, and Sobhi Emad Abu Shaker, 20, from Rommana, near Jenin in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.
They launched a massive manhunt for the two alleged attackers throughout Israel and the West Bank. Israeli police said in a statement, “We have special police forces in the field, Shin Bet [Intelligence Service] forces, helicopters,” and other combat units. According to estimates, the two are still in the area, and we are doing everything to apprehend them.”
The Israeli military announced the extension of the closure of the Palestinian Territories (West Bank and Gaza Strip) until Sunday.
The Israeli military, which rules all aspects of life for the Palestinian population of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, had imposed a closure on Tuesday in celebration of Israel’s “Independence Day” on Thursday. On that day, Israelis celebrate the creation of Israel in 1948 on what was, at the time, the state of Palestine.
Israel’s creation on the land led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian residents, turning them into refugees.
The town of Elad, where Thursday’s attack took place, was built atop the Palestinian town of Al Muzayri’a, which was “depopulated” by Zionist militias during the Nakba (Catastrophe – which is how Palestinians describe the displacement they experienced when Israel was created) in 1948.
The closure imposed on the West Bank and Gaza Strip includes the prevention of travel for all five million Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip – both outside the Territories and between different areas internally.
Hundreds of Israeli military checkpoints installed throughout the West Bank prevent the Palestinians from traveling to work, school, or visit relatives. The closure came in the midst of a five-day holiday celebrated by Muslims at the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, known as Eid al-Fitr. This is usually a time of celebration and visiting relatives — but such visits and celebrations were prevented by the Israeli military’s restrictions on Palestinian travel throughout the week.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the attack and said that the killing of Palestinian and Israeli civilians would only lead to further deterioration and obstruct the efforts to avoid escalation and achieve peace and stability.
Abbas also denounced the serious Israeli escalation against the Palestinians, including the constant Israeli invasions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the attacks against Muslim and Christian worshipers in occupied Jerusalem that have been frequent and violent during Muslim and Christian holiday celebrations over the past month.
Abbas added that “real and comprehensive peace that achieves stability and the legitimate Palestinian rights of liberation and independence is the safest and shortest war to achieve stability and security for both the Palestinians and the Israelis, and the entire region.”
At least 47 Palestinians, including 8 children, were killed by Palestinians, and 16 Israelis (all adults) were killed by Palestinians in 2022. Israel Palestine Timeline – 2022 Deaths
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken issued a statement just hours after the attack – before the perpetrators were identified and the details confirmed — condemning the incident as a horrific terrorist attack targeting innocent civilians. Blinken has not condemned any of the killings of 47 Palestinians, 8 of whom were children, which have taken place since the beginning of 2022.
At least 1623 Palestinians, including many women and children, have been injured by Israeli soldiers and colonizers in several parts of the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip since the beginning of 2022.
Yonatan was from Elad. Source: IMEMC
April 30, 2022: Yahia Ali Adwan, 27, was killed by Israeli soldiers in Azzoun town, east of Qalqilia, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.
Palestinian medics tried to revive the seriously wounded young man before rushing him to the hospital, where he was officially pronounced dead.
He was abducted again in 2013 and was released in 2016 after being imprisoned for 41 months.
April 29, 2022: Vyacheslav Golev, 23, was shot dead by Palestinian fighters who managed to escape from the scene at the main entrance of the Ariel illegal colony in the occupied West Bank. The two shooters were identified by Israeli authorities as Sameeh Assi and Yahya Marei, both in their 20s. They were captured after a 20-hour manhunt by Israeli troops.
One of the shooters returned to the car, made a U-turn, and picked up the other person before speeding away, Ynet added.
The soldiers briefly detained and interrogated dozens of Palestinians and searched many cars.
April 27, 2022: Ahmad Mohammad Lutfi Masad, 18, was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers Wednesday before dawn. In addition to killing Ahmad, the soldiers injured at least three during massive invasions and exchanges of fire in Jenin, Jenin refugee camp, and Qabatia town, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.
April 26, 2022: Ahmad Ibrahim Oweidat, 20, was shot and killed by Israeli forces in Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, southwest of Jericho city in the northeastern West Bank.
April 18, 2022: Hanan Mahmoud Khdour, 18, died from serious wounds she suffered when she was shot by Israeli soldiers who invaded a village near Jenin, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, on April 9th.
April 15, 2022: Shawkat Kamal ‘Aabed, 17, died from serious wounds he suffered a day earlier when Israeli soldiers shot him in Kafr Dan village, northwest of the northern West Bank city of Jenin.
April 14, 2022: Mustafa Faisal Abu ar-Rob, 31, was killed by Israeli soldiers who invaded several parts of the Jenin governorate in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, killing two Palestinians and wounding four.
April 14, 2022: Sha’s Fuad Kamamji, 29, was killed by Israeli soldiers who invaded several parts of the Jenin governorate in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, killing two Palestinians and wounding four.
April 14, 2022: Fawwaz Ahmad Hamayel, 45, died from serious wounds he suffered a day earlier after Israeli soldiers shot him with an expanding bullet in the chest in Beita town, south of Nablus.
His cousin said a large military force invaded the town at dawn before the soldiers stormed and violently searched many homes causing severe damage.
The soldiers also injured more than twenty-five Palestinians after shooting them with live rounds and rubber-coated steel bullets in several villages and towns in Nablus.