On Wednesday night, terrorists opened fire on a vehicle traveling along Highway 446 between Baruchin and Peduel in Samaria. The car was carrying a couple from Baruchin on their way to the hospital for the birth of their child. Tzeela Gez, 30, in advanced stages of pregnancy, was critically wounded in the attack and rushed to Beilinson Hospital while undergoing resuscitation. Despite prolonged efforts by medical teams through the night, she succumbed to her injuries.
In a desperate attempt to save the baby, doctors at Beilinson performed an emergency cesarean section in the trauma room. The newborn required immediate resuscitation and was transferred to Schneider Medical Center. His condition is currently unknown.
The husband, Hananel, sustained mild injuries.
Funeral arrangements for Tsala Gaz will be announced later on Thursday.
In the wake of the heartbreaking tragedy, the community of Baruchin issued a statement: “Our hearts are shattered. The entire community of Baruchin mourns the brutal murder of our dear friend Tzeela Gez in this heinous attack. We extend our deepest condolences to the Gez family and pray for a full and swift recovery for Hananel, the father.”
Residents expressed their anguish and resolve, saying: “Once again, we are forced to pay with blood simply for being Jews living in our homeland. But the blood of our brothers and sisters was not shed in vain. We will continue to build, to stand firm, and to bring more light and life to Baruchin and across the land. On behalf of all the residents of Baruchin, I ask the public to pray for the recovery of the father and the newborn, and to know this: you are not alone. We are with you, now and always.”
Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, issued a forceful statement on Thursday morning following the deadly attack:
“The villages that repeatedly harbor and dispatch terrorists cannot be allowed to continue life as usual. The rule in Burkin and Kafr a-Diq is no different from that of Khan Younes and Rafah. It is no longer acceptable to rely solely on military intelligence. This is an axis from which four terrorist attacks have already been launched—this area must look like Jabalia.”
Dagan continued: “No normal country would allow such a threat to persist without a decisive response. We expect the security establishment to fundamentally change its approach. The communities in Samaria will not be broken. We will continue to build, to hold our ground, and to deepen our presence in Samaria. We will defeat terrorism.”
