The murderer of Golani soldier Amit Ben-Yigal, who was killed last month after a terrorist threw a cinder block on his head, has been arrested in a joint operation of the IDF, Shin Bet and Israel Police.

“We can confirm that after a large-scale operation with Israel’s security services, our soldiers have arrested the assailant who killed 21-year-old Staff Sgt. Amit Ben Ygal during operational activity last month,” the IDF wrote on Twitter.

Ben Yigal was murdered at the end of an arrest operation in the Palestinian Authority village of Ya’bad.

He was wearing a helmet at the time but apparently heard something and looked up, exposing his face when the huge block hit him.

נעצר המחבל החשוד בהריגת לוחם סיירת גולני, עמית בן יגאל ז"ל >>https://t.co/TyVOI6wSRs pic.twitter.com/Jtu2hUPz3O

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) June 7, 2020

The murderer has been identified as Nazmi Abu Bakr, 49, a resident of the building in Ya’bad from which he threw the block. Abu Bakr admitted to throwing the block from the roof of his building during a Shin Bet interrogation.

Abu Bakr was one of several suspects detained by security forces weeks ago and actually confessed to throwing the block about ten days ago. However, investigators waited to verify his confession before announcing it to the public.

Following the news, Amit’s father, Baruch Ben-Yigal, visited his son’s kever to tell him the news. Amit was his only child.

ברוך אביו של החייל עמית בן יגאל ז"ל מבשר לבנו מעל קברו על לכידת המחבל הנפשע שרצח אותו. pic.twitter.com/kruyQlf0fk

— ציון גניש (@Or9uTUMESQcdtK9) June 8, 2020

ברוך בן יגאל: "בחושך הגדול, כוחות הביטחון הביאו לי את הנר" https://t.co/6FM1PsHpkZ pic.twitter.com/JHtxnWuDtZ

— ידיעות אחרונות (@YediotAhronot) June 8, 2020

“I want to commend the IDF, Shin Bet and security forces for capturing the despicable murderer of Amit Ben-Yigal, z’l,” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Sunday. “I issued an order to destroy the house of this murderer. Our hands will reach anyone who tries to harm us – sooner or later. In recent years, you’ve been seeing it sooner.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
"I would like to commend the IDF, the ISA and the security services for apprehending the reprehensible murderer of the late Amit Ben-Yigal. I have given the order to demolish the home of this murderer. pic.twitter.com/hJqnR0MlCf

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) June 7, 2020

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)