By Mark Ellis –
A 29-year-old mother of a baby and two others were shot in a terror attack by a co-worker at an industrial park in the West Bank near the settlement of Ariel.
Ashraf Na’alowa, a 23-year-old Palestinian entered the Alon Group factory where he was employed shortly before 8 a.m. on October 7th armed with a submachine gun, army spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus told the Times of Israel.
He zip-tied Kim Yehezkel and another co-worker, Ziv Hajibi, a 35-year-old father of three, and shot them both dead at close range, as well as wounding a third victim, according to eyewitnesses.
After the attack the suspect fled the scene, still armed with the submachine gun, the military said.
The other woman was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment for a gunshot wound in her stomach and was in moderate condition.
“She (Kim) was shot point blank at close range in the head because she was Jewish,” Lior Minkowitz, a friend, posted on social media. “Kim was working towards receiving a degree in law and her dreams of becoming a lawyer were abruptly and unfairly taken from her.
“She leaves behind her adoring husband Guy and their beautiful baby boy, who just started walking and can no longer call for his mom “Ima.”
A co-worker at the factory said the terrorist tried to shoot at him as he fled the scene. The worker was armed and fired a shot at the gunman, but apparently missed.
He said he recognized the suspect,Na’alowa, as an electrician who worked at the company. Apparently, the gunman knew the victims and posted on his Facebook page prior to the attack that he was “waiting for [Allah].”
“He has not yet been apprehended. We know that he is still armed and is considered dangerous,” Lt. Col. Conricus told the Times of Israel. “We do not know if he plans to carry out another terror attack or if he is just fleeing, but we assume he is still dangerous.”
The IDF, Shin Bet security service and Israel Police, including special forces units, have been searching diligently for the gunman, and also added more troops to the West Bank to prevent “copycat” attacks.
The terrorist had been absent from work in the days before the shooting, but was still employed by the factory, Conricus said, refuting earlier media reports that he had been fired.
The Barkan Industrial Park employs about 8,000 people, approximately half of them Israelis and the other half Palestinians, according to the Times of Israel.
A Go Fund Me page has been set up for Guy Yehezkel, Kim’s husband, and their 18- month-old boy, Kai. 100% of the donations will go directly to Guy Yehezkel so that he can provide for his son the way that Kim wanted.
