Officials used photos and phone data in the search for the identity of 17-year-old talmid yeshiva Shalom Aaron Ba’adani, who was listed in critical condition in Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital. He was one of the victims in the Jerusalem vehicular terror attack on Wednesday 12 Marcheshvan but had no ID on him. It took officials about nine hours to identify him and locate family members.

The phone was found at the scene of the attack and it was first believed to have been dropped by one of the rescue workers. Only later on did they understand the phone belonged to the unidentified victim.

Hospital officials provided medical care but explained they were not responsible for identifying the terror victim. Zaka and other relevant organizations began the effort to identify him and notify his family.

Shalom’s parents were summoned to the hospital to make a positive identification. He remains in critical condition with a head injury. It appears he was riding a bicycle when the terrorist rammed his vehicle into him.

Shalom is a grandson of Rabbi Shimon Ba’adani Shlita, who is a member of Shas’ Moetzas Gedolei Yisrael. As a result visitors to the hospital include members of the Shas party.

The tzibur is urged to be mispallel for Shalom Aharon ben Nava bsoch cholei Am Yisrael.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)