The breaches in the security fence through which thousands of illegal entrants cross into Israel every day are well known. Just last Monday, a rope-assisted infiltration was documented live on ynet cameras in the Jerusalem area. A day later, the state comptroller issued a scathing report warning that the failures “must keep the leadership awake at night.” Now, that warning has materialized.
A Palestinian terrorist who, according to suspicions, entered Israel about a week ago through that same breach, which a ynet team visited on Monday, carried out a prolonged and deadly terror attack Friday night that lasted nearly 50 minutes in the Beit She’an Valley area.
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Aviv Maor, who was murdered at the scene in Tel Yosef, and the terrorist’s vehicle after he was neutralized at the entrance to Afula
(Photo: Gil Nechushtan)
Two people were murdered in the attack. Samson Mordechai, 68, was run over and killed in his hometown of Beit She’an while returning from synagogue. Aviv Maor, 18, who was due to celebrate her birthday in two months, was stabbed to death near Tel Yosef. Her parents described her as a “nature-loving girl” who rode horses and cared for injured animals in the valley.
A 16-year-old boy was lightly wounded in Beit She’an after being run over, and a 37-year-old man was moderately wounded after being struck at the entrance to Afula. At that location, a civilian finally ended the killing spree by shooting the terrorist, who was wounded and evacuated in moderate condition.
What follows is the sequence of events, from the terrorist’s entry into Israel until his neutralization.
The infiltration through the fence breach, about a week earlier:
The terrorist, Ahmad Abu al-Roub, 34, from Qabatiya in northern Samaria, is suspected of having entered Israel about a week earlier through a breach in the Jerusalem area, far from the Beit She’an Valley. That same breach was documented by a ynet team on Monday. In broad daylight and in front of the cameras, two illegal entrants were seen climbing the barrier using a rope and fleeing without being apprehended.
In broad daylight: footage from Monday shows illegal entrants infiltrating through the breach in Jerusalem
(Video: Liran Tamari)
Abu al-Roub was known as a repeat illegal entrant and had been arrested several times in the past. In 2022, he served a prison sentence for illegal entry. In February, he was again arrested by the Coastal District police after being caught with a driver. A knife was found in the vehicle. He was detained for at least two days and police intended to file an indictment, but for reasons that remain unclear, he was released.
Vehicle theft, around noon:
The terrorist, who was working at Kibbutz Mesillot in the Beit She’an Valley for an Arab Israeli contractor from Arraba, stole his employer’s vehicle and drove toward Beit She’an, where the attack began.
First ramming, about 12:18 pm:
Magen David Adom received a report of a 16-year-old boy struck by a vehicle on Yaakov Michlof Street in Beit She’an. According to residents, the terrorist exited the vehicle holding a knife and attempted to stab the teenager, who managed to escape. His condition was light. The terrorist returned to the pickup truck and drove on.
Second and fatal ramming, about 12:24 pm:
Another call was received reporting an unconscious man on HaShomron Street in Beit She’an, about 500 meters from the first scene. Paramedics pronounced Shimshon Mordechai dead at the scene. He had been returning from synagogue. A resident said the terrorist struck him and dragged him for about 50 meters before fleeing.
Another collision and a brutal stabbing, 12:31 pm:
A report came in of a young woman stabbed on Route 71 near Tel Yosef. The victim was Aviv Maor, 18. According to testimony, the terrorist rammed the vehicle she was in, exited his pickup and chased her into a drainage ditch, where he stabbed her to death. Police said she was stabbed multiple times.
8 View gallery
The late Aviv Maor, a ‘nature-loving girl’ who rode horses and cared for injured animals
(Photo: Instagram)
Another ramming and neutralization by a civilian, 12:45 pm:
A fourth report was received at the entrance to Afula. Yaakov Gerber, a 37-year-old teacher from Hadera, was struck by the terrorist’s vehicle while walking on the sidewalk. He suffered a head injury and was hospitalized at Rambam Medical Center. At the scene, the terrorist’s vehicle was seen crashed into a utility pole. At that point, a civilian intervened, confronted the terrorist and shot him.
Netanyahu responds, 3:52 pm:
More than three hours after the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued his first statement, 15 minutes after publishing an unrelated announcement about Israeli recognition of Somaliland. Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, offered condolences to the families, wished the wounded a speedy recovery and praised the civilian who neutralized the attacker. He said that despite many counterterrorism operations, “we unfortunately experience murderous attacks from time to time,” adding that the government would continue acting against terrorism.
Raid on the terrorist’s home, around 4 pm:
Security forces raided the terrorist’s home in Qabatiya and arrested his father. The IDF said Paratroopers reconnaissance units, Duvdevan, Shin Bet, Border Police and Prison Service forces took part. Preparations are underway for the demolition of the home. Earlier, the terrorist’s employer was also arrested and transferred to Shin Bet for questioning.
Warnings ignored and a surge in illegal crossings
Beyond the investigation, the attack has reignited serious questions about the long-standing failures surrounding known breaches in the security fence. A day after Ynet documented the Jerusalem breach, the state comptroller published a report warning of severe deficiencies and the risk of mass infiltration similar to October 7, but from the eastern front.
State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman said the failures are deeply troubling and place responsibility on senior political and security leadership. The report found that only 61 percent of the fence around Jerusalem is fortified, leaving kilometers without barriers.
Since the war in Gaza began, Israel halted most Palestinian labor entry, yet illegal crossings have surged. Smuggling networks now flourish, with brokers charging 300 to 600 shekels per person. A security official told Ynet that many recent attacks were carried out by illegal entrants, noting that weekly infiltrations into Jerusalem have doubled from about 3,000 to 6,000.