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Shortly after 3:00pm on erev Shabbos 25 Sivan, a terrorist driving a white 5-door KIA opened fire at an Israeli vehicle traveling between Otniel and Beit Chaggai, in the Southern Hebron Hills area.

The vehicle was hit by many 5.56mm bullets, and the driver, in his 40s, who was in traumatic cardiac arrest when the first EMS units arrived, was pronounced dead on the scene. His wife was seated at his side and she too was hit by gunfire, listed in serious condition and being treated in the trauma center of Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital.

At least three children were seated in the rear and they were injured from the vehicle veering out of control and flipping over, B”H not from gunfire. They are listed in moderate and light condition. There appears to be two children about 14-years-old and a baby, with the latter listed in light condition.

The entire area has been shut down by the IDF as the manhunt for the vehicle that sped off continues.

All of the occupants of the vehicle are from one family, residents of Otniel.

The mora dasra of Otniel, Rabbi Re’em HaKohen Shlita, has called the community to gather in the main shul at 4:30pm to be mispallel for the wounded, with the wife fighting for her life.

The tzibur is asked to be mispallel for Chava Rochel bat Ayelet HaShachar bsoch sha’ar cholei yisrael.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)