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Scene of terror attack in Jerusalem
Photo: AFP
Photo: Elad Rubinstein
Baby rushed to Jerusalem hospital following attack
Photo: Elad Rubinstein

Mother crushed to death in rampage, baby girl saved

Paramedic Eyal Zehavi rushed to scene of murderous Jerusalem terror attack with his pregnant wife, found himself treating infant extracted from crushed car her mother died in

Six-month-old Efrat Onterman is left motherless after the murderous terror attack on Wednesday evening in Jerusalem. From the time her mother Batsheva Onterman was crushed to death right next to her during the terrorist’s tractor rampage, Efrat was already placed in the hands of a foster family “that first and foremost embraced her.” Afterwards, she was placed in her aunt’s care.

 

This heart-wrenching story started with the trampling of one of the vehicles during the terrorist’s lethal massacring campaign. Batsheva did not survive, but small Efrat who was by her side was miraculously left untouched.

 

The 33-year-old mother from Jerusalem will be laid to rest on Wednesday night at 11:30 pm at the Har HaMenuchot cemetery in the city. Elizabeth Goren Friedman, 54 from Jerusalem will be buried there as well. Another person was killed as a result of the malicious attack and dozens of others were injured.

 

The deadly terror attack in Jerusalem on Wednesday claimed the lives of three people and wreaked havoc on countless families. But perhaps the most touching, and tragic stories remains that of the five-month old baby girl who lost her mother in the rampage.

 

Eyal Zehavi, a Magen David Adom paramedic who rushed to the scene with his wife treated both the girl and another infant.

 

“Someone passed the baby to me and screamed, “I just saved her from the car in which her mother was killed,” said Zehavi.

 

“It took me a minute and a half to check her, I did an extensive examination of her body, looked for broken bones, wounds and breathing difficulties but thankfully she was fine and I transferred her to the ambulance which took her to the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.”

 

Zehavi and his wife, who is seven months pregnant and also in the medical field, helped move the body of the baby girl's mother so it could be evacuated.

 

But Zehavi soon found himself with a second baby to treat, seven month old Ophir Sinai, who had been with her mother Shani on one of the buses hit by the bulldozer.

 

“They brought me two babies to take care of within 15 minutes and we treated them both.”  

 

Shani told reporters, “My daughter was sitting in her carriage when suddenly I saw people running towards the bus. At first I thought they wanted to look in and then I saw a tractor coming our way from the other side.”

 

Sinai explained how her daughter was injured, “We sat on the side that turned over on the sidewalk and people fell on us. My daughter was crushed and glass was flying all around us.

 

“People on the bus got up and we got out through the bus’ windshield. Two people came our way, one of them was bandaged and I asked him, you, in your state are helping me? I didn’t have a chance to thank him.”

 

This was only Ophir’s second bus ride and after the attack her mother said, “Nothing will stop us, I believe that we will have many safe rides together.”

 

The Jerusalem police discussed an initial estimation of the situation on Wednesday afternoon following the attack.

 

The primary investigation led by General Aharon Franko, commander of the Jerusalem District Police revealed that at least four security personnel tried taking hold of the terrorist before he was shot by a SWAT officer and a soldier who climbed on the tractor and shot him to death.

 

The investigation into the incident is continuing and due to the terrorism attack, General Franko instructed that Jerusalem forces are reinforced and that the public’s awareness is raised.

 

Simultaneously, the police are making arrangements to enter the terrorist’s village, Tzur Baher in an attempt to prevent the building of a mourning tent by his family members.

 

Neta Sela contributed to this report 

 


פרסום ראשון: 07.02.08, 21:40
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