IDF soldiers kill Palestinian terrorist suspected of killing pregnant Israeli woman on way to hospital

Israeli security forces shot and killed a Palestinian man suspected of carrying out Thursday’s terror shooting that killed Tzeela Gez, a pregnant woman en route to the hospital to give birth, wounding the baby and her husband.

The murder shocked the country. The baby was delivered by emergency C-section and transferred to Schneider Children's Medical Center, where he remains in intensive care.

According to reports on Friday, the infant's condition had slightly improved, being now in serious but stable condition.

Following the terror attack near the Israeli town of Bruchin in Samaria, the suspect fled the scene, prompting the Israel Defense Forces to swiftly seal off several nearby villages and carry out extensive searches.

In a statement on Saturday, the IDF described the incident in which the suspected terrorist, Nael Samara, was killed: “Targeted searches were carried out by IDF fighters under Shin Bet direction in the village of Buruqin, near the scene of the attack.”

Israeli media reported that several other villages were also searched and some 40 suspects interrogated so far.

“This morning, several suspects were arrested in connection with the attack. During the arrest of one of the suspects, a terrorist was identified as running towards the forces while holding a bag, suspected to be a bomb, while shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ at them.”

“Faced with an immediate threat, the fighters made contact and eliminated the terrorist. There were no casualties among our forces. The investigation into the attack by the Shin Bet and the Judea and Samaria District Police is ongoing.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the murder of Gez a “spine-chilling, horrific act of terror that shakes us to the core.”

“My heart goes out to her grieving family and all her loved ones who are in deep shock. We’re all praying now for the baby’s health and for the recovery of her injured husband, Hananel. Terror won’t break the Israeli spirit. We will relentlessly track down terror wherever it hides,” Herzog stated shortly before the Sabbath began on Friday.

In a WhatsApp message, Gez’s husband Hananel vowed to stay strong despite being “broken” by the death of his wife, Israeli media reported.

“Today is a sad day. Last night, my wife was murdered. We were on our way to the hospital to give birth to our fourth child,” he wrote.

“Obviously, I am broken,” he continued. “This is natural. But I thank God that I am alive, and I will be strong in order to continue to be a light to the world. Because we will never let them break us.”

“I am very, very sad,” he added. “But I will continue to fight for the welfare of our people… we will survive, succeed, and prosper.”