Yishai Gartner, 23, a yeshiva student from the ultra-Orthodox settlement of Modi'in Illit, was identified as one of the victims of Friday’s terrorist shooting attack in southern Israel.
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One other Israeli, currently unidentified, was killed in the attack and four were wounded, including a 16-year-old in critical condition and two others in serious condition.
"I felt bullets flying, and a few seconds later, I realized I had been injured," one of the injured, a 52-year-old man from the central city of Modi'in, recounted to Ynet. He was shot between the arm and chest while driving back from work and passing by the scene of the attack in his car. He was rushed to Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot in moderate condition.
"It all happened fast, I realized they were shooting at the car, saw a terrorist with a gun, I ducked and kept driving," he recounted.
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The scene of the attack at the Re'em Masmiya Junction in southern Israel
(Photo: AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)
"I was on the phone with a friend from work and told him I had been shot in the arm, and he called the police. I continued driving until I reached Yad Binyamin, and one of the tires blew out. I got out of the car, and immediately people asked what happened and tried to help, paramedics were already there and quickly called an ambulance. Within three minutes, I was in the ambulance and rushed to Kaplan Medical Center."
From his hospital bed, while displaying one of the bullets he collected from his car, the man added, "I want to express my condolences to the families and wish a full recovery to the other injured. I wish for great unity among the people of Israel, health and for the hostages to return safely."
The terrorist, a Palestinian resident of East Jerusalem, apparently lived in the Shuafat refugee camp in the northeastern part of the city. Palestinian reports described Israeli forces closing off the camp's checkpoint.
The civilian who shot and eliminated the terrorist is a former member of the security forces, currently serving in the reserves. "I was on the opposite side of the road, saw him shooting, and ran towards him with my gun drawn," he recounted to Ynet.
"I charged at him, first firing from a distance, then closing in on him. I advanced while shooting, then reached him and confirmed neutralization."
A police source at the scene reported that the civilian began firing at the terrorist from a distance of 30 meters, noting, "He really sniped him from distance, managed to neutralize him and prevented further carnage."
The terrorist arrived at the Re'em Masmiya Junction near the southern city of Kiryat Malachi in a Mazda vehicle around 12:30pm. He then made a U-turn, exited his vehicle and opened fire from a handgun toward a crowd of people standing at a bus stop.
Police investigators described the terrorist as having the appearance of an “Islamic State member,” sporting a big, bushy beard and a white kufi (an Islamic prayer skull cap).
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extended condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured, saying, "This attack reminds us that the entire country is a front and that the murderers, emanating not only from Gaza, want to kill us all. We will continue to fight with all our might, on every front, everywhere, until we restore security and peace to all citizens of Israel."