A group of ultra-Orthodox hikers was brutally attacked today (Friday) while hiking in eastern Gush Etzion in Judea and Samaria. According to reports from the scene, dozens of Arab rioters from the nearby village of Sa’ir descended on the group of civilians in what witnesses described as an attempted lynching. Facing what was reported as an immediate threat to their lives, the hikers urgently called security forces and emergency personnel to the area to evacuate them to safety.
A security officer and local security coordinator, who was the first to arrive in response to the emergency call, encountered the large group of rioters and began working to evacuate the hikers. According to testimony from the scene, during the rescue attempt, one of the assailants attacked the security coordinator at close range with a rock. Believing his life and the lives of the civilians at the scene were in danger, the security coordinator responded by opening fire in self-defense. Arab media subsequently reported that one assailant had been killed.
Arab media identified the man as Karim Shalaldeh, a resident of the Arab outpost of Hamrush. According to the report, just one month ago, Shalaldeh participated in an attack on Jewish shepherds, throwing stones at them while masked and armed with a club. Two shepherds were injured in that attack. Although three of his relatives were arrested, Shalaldeh himself was not. The house from which the rioters emerged is also known as a focal point for attacks against Jews. Last month, a woman documented setting fires in an open area was arrested there.
The attempted lynching comes 30 days after Capt. (res.) Benayahu Malt and Maj. Yuval Ezra were killed after rushing to assist during a similar attack in Samaria. In that incident as well, Israeli and international media quickly pointed the finger at Israeli civilians, including claims that the excursion had not been authorized, rather than demanding that the military eradicate the murderous terrorism growing amid the false campaign against Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.
The IDF said Friday’s hike had not been authorized and had taken place on the outskirts of the village. Regarding a separate report of a structure fire in Baniya, the military said: “Firefighting forces operated to extinguish the blaze.” The IDF also issued a warning: “The IDF emphasizes that unauthorized hikes endanger participants and divert the efforts of forces from defense and counterterrorism missions in the sector.” Judea and Samaria District Police are currently operating at the scene alongside IDF forces, gathering evidence and testimony as part of an investigation into the incident.