Baby Delivered After Mother Shot in West Bank Terror Attack Dies
The baby who was delivered Sunday after his mother was seriously wounded in a drive-by shooting attack near a West Bank settlement was pronounced dead on Wednesday.
The baby’s condition deteriorated on Tuesday. His mother, Shira Ish Ran, who was seven months pregnant when she was shot and seriously wounded, is in stable condition and remains hospitalized in the emergency care unit at the Shaare Tzedek Hospital in Jerusalem. Her husband, Amichai, who was also wounded in the attack, is in stable condition. The attack took place at a bus station near the Israeli settlement of Ofra.
Shira and Amichai Ish-Ran.
A man in his twenties sustained moderate wounds in the attack, while four other people were lightly wounded — two boys and two girls aged 16.
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The Israel Defense Forces are still conducting a manhunt in Palestinian villages in search of the assailants, who fired from a moving vehicle and fled the scene.
The baby’s mother, a 21-year-old Israeli woman living in the West Bank settlement of Elon Moreh, was waiting for a ride together with her husband at a bus station near Ofra.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extended his condolences to the couple following news of the infant’s death. "Our hearts go to Shira and Amichai for the death of the four-day-old baby who still didn’t have a name. Despicable murderers, the most deviant criminals on earth," he said.
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"Security forces are searching after the murderers and I hope that soon we will hear news about this. We won’t give up until we find them and bring them to justice," the premier continued.
President Reuven Rivlin also made a statement addressing the couple on Wednesday, saying: "Amichai and Shira Ish Ran, true heroes. We are embracing you and won’t calm down until we cut terror at the root."
The baby is expected to buried later Wednesday evening at Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives.
An IDF force stationed nearby fired at the vehicle before the driver fled the scene. Footage from the scene shows a white vehicle slowing down near the hitchiking stop and stopping briefly. After shots are fired from the vehicle, IDF soldiers shoot at the car, which then continued north on Route 60.
The IDF said it is searching for the shooter in the nearby village of Silwad and has set up checkpoints. Palestinian residents reported that large military forces entered Silwad, which is east of Ramallah, and have raided a house. Residents also reported that the IDF is searching in the nearby village of Ein Yabrud, just west of Ofra. The troops collected security cameras located in the village.
Following the attack, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to legalize Ofra. According to Shaked, she has obtained a draft of a legal opinion on the matter. "Facing the price tag of Abu Mazen [Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas], we pose our own price tag," Shaked tweeted. "Every terror attack will strengthen the settlement establishment instead of weakening it, and every potential attacker will know in advance that he will be considered responsible for strengthening settlements."