IDF Soldier Killed in Stone-Throwing Attack in Samaria
An Israeli soldier was killed Tuesday morning in a stone-throwing attack in northern Samaria.
The soldier was a member of the Israeli army’s Golani Brigade, and IDF spokesperson said Tuesday.
The incident occurred while the soldier’s unit was securing an arrest operation targeting a number of wanted suspects in the Palestinian Authority-controlled town of Ya’abad, west of Jenin, in northern Samaria.
During the pre-dawn arrest operation, a block was dropped on the soldier, striking him in the head and fatally injuring him.
“When the [security] forces entered the area, massive rocks were hurled at them,” said IDF spokesperson Brigadier General Hidai Zilberman. “While the soldiers were making their way out following the completion of all the arrests, a stone was thrown from the roof of one of the houses, down onto the head of one of our soldiers. Despite the fact that he was wearing a helmet, he was severely injured. An intensive care unit evacuated the injured soldier to a helicopter landing site and was taken to the hospital, where he died.”
The fallen soldier has been identified as 21-year-old Staff Sergeant Amit Ben Yigal, a resident of the central Israeli city of Ramat Gan. The IDF has posthumously promoted Ben Yigal to the rank of Chief Sergeant.
Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett (Yamina) responded to the attack Tuesday morning, saying “Staff Sergeant Amit Ben Yigal was killed overnight while he was ensuring Israel’s security. The IDF and security forces will apprehend the lowly terrorists responsible for this, and we will bring them to justice. In the name of the defense establishment, I want to send condolences to the Ben Yigal family. May his memory be blessed.”
