The terrorist who opened fire on a bus on the way from Beitar Illit to Jerusalem late Thursday night, killing Yehoshua Aharon Tuvia Simcha, H’yd and wounding several others, turned himself into Israeli security forces on Thursday morning at about 10 a.m.

The heinous terrorist, Az Al-Adin Massalmeh from the village of Beit Awwa, near Chevron, fled to Beit Lechem after he fired 23 bullets at the bus. He tried to turn himself in to the Palestinian Authority police overnight Wednesday but although they confiscated his gun, they refused to allow him to enter the police station.

The IDF, police and Shin Bet issued a statement saying: “Following a joint manhunt by IDF, police, and Shin Bet forces, which included a military siege of Beit Lechem and military pressure in the area, the terrorist who carried out the shooting attack at the Al-Khader Junction in the Etzion Brigade surrendered to security forces.”

The head of the Beit El Local Council, Shai Alon, stated: “We wake up to a terrible morning that reminds us all that the war is not over – there is a main front that threatens Israelis and it in Yehudah and Shomron. After the Iranian failures in Lebanon and Gaza, the focus of efforts to harm Israel is in Yehudah and Shomron. The ceasefire in Lebanon allows the IDF to bring more forces to reinforce Yehudah and Shomron and act more forcefully against the terror nests in the area. We must transition to a war footing! To surround the Palestinian cities and conduct a thorough cleaning of weapons and terrorists. This time the attack was at the tunnels checkpoint, and next time, chalilah, it could be in the center of Tel Aviv. Get your heads out of the conceptzia before more blood is shed!”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)