One Israeli was murdered and a second injured after terrorists opened fire on their vehicles in the Jordan Valley on Sunday afternoon.

The victim was later identified as Yonatan Deitsch, H’yd, 23, from Beit She’an, who was due to get married in several weeks. He was released from IDF service just a week ago after fighting in Gaza. He was on the way to the yishuv of Ofra, where his kallah lives, when he was killed by the terrorist’s gunfire.

The terrorist opened fire from his vehicle at an Israeli car on Route 90 near the Mechola Junction.

The second victim, a man in his early 30s, is in moderate condition. He was evacuated to the hospital in an MDA helicopter with gunshot wounds to his lower body.

An initial investigation shows that the attack took place in two areas – one on Route 90 and the second near the yishuv of Rotem.

The terrorist fled the scene. A large number of IDF forces arrived at the scene and launched a manhunt.

Senior MDA EMT Matti Carmi said: “We found a 33-year-old male casualty at the scene with gunshot wounds to his lower body, and while providing medical treatment including bleeding control, we evacuated him to the MDA helicopter. We then received a report of an unconscious casualty with gunshot wounds in another vehicle. Along with an IDF medical team we treated the second casualty, but his injury was critical and we were forced to pronounce him dead.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)