An Israeli father and son from Ashdod were murdered in a shooting attack in Huwara on Shabbos afternoon.

The terrorist fled the scene following the attack in the direction of Shechem. A large number of Israeli security forces launched a manhunt after him that was still underway on Motzei Shabbos.

An initial investigation revealed that the father, 60, and his son, 28, were in the area getting their car washed. The terrorist arrived at the car wash on foot and shot them at point-blank range.

“It was an execution,” an Israeli security official said. “A very short-range shooting. It was not a random act.” The terrorist reportedly confirmed the men’s identity as Jews [rather than Arab-Israelis] before shooting them.

The IDF and Shin Bet arrested several suspects at the car wash and transferred them for questioning on the suspicion that one or more of them contacted the terrorist to inform him of the presence of Jews in the car wash. According to reports, the Israelis were in Huwara for several hours getting the air conditioner in their car repaired and buying car accessories prior to entering the car wash, and were standing next to their car when they were gunned down at about 3 p.m.

The victims were identified on Motzei Shabbos as Shai Nigerkar, H’yd, and his son, Aviad Nir, H’yd. A relative told Ynet: “We’re in complete shock, we’re devastated. Aviad’s wife spoke to him a few minutes before the attack, the attack was literally a few seconds after they spoke, he had just hung up. This is an unfathomable tragedy. The family is falling apart.”

There have been many warnings of attacks in northern Shomron in recent days, some of which were thwarted.

Huwara has been the scene of numerous terror attacks since the beginning of the year, including six shooting attacks, two ramming attacks, and two stabbing attacks, resulting in the murder of four Israelis, including the Yaniv brothers, and the injury of eight Israelis. Jews living in the Shomron must pass through Huwara on a regular basis as a major road, Route 60, passes through the area. The area is heavily protected by the IDF but since the majority of the Jews in the Shomron are religious, there is a lesser IDF presence on Shabbos.

Arabs lost no time in celebrating the murders by handing out pastries.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip celebrate the terrorist attack in Huwara where a Jewish father and his son were murdered.

They celebrate death, we celebrate life. That's the difference. pic.twitter.com/o4hF0D3zsm

— Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) August 19, 2023

(YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)