On Wednesday night, terrorists opened fire on a vehicle traveling along Highway 446 between Baruchin and Peduel in Samaria. The car was carrying a couple from Baruchin on their way to the hospital for the birth of their child. Tzeela Gez, 30, in advanced stages of pregnancy, was critically wounded in the attack and rushed to Beilinson Hospital while undergoing resuscitation. Despite prolonged efforts by medical teams through the night, she succumbed to her injuries.
In a desperate attempt to save the baby, doctors at Beilinson performed an emergency cesarean section in the trauma room. The newborn required immediate resuscitation and was transferred to Schneider Medical Center. His condition is currently unknown. The husband, Hananel, sustained mild injuries.
Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, issued a forceful statement on Thursday morning following the deadly attack: “The villages that repeatedly harbor and dispatch terrorists cannot be allowed to continue life as usual. The rule in Burkin and Kafr a-Diq is no different from that of Khan Younes and Rafah. It is no longer acceptable to rely solely on military intelligence. This is an axis from which four terrorist attacks have already been launched—this area must look like Jabalia.”
Dagan called for a harsh response: “Jewish blood is not cheap. The villages that harbor terrorists must be flattened, like Rafah and Khan Yunis. This route has seen four attacks. It must be cleared.” Bruchin community leader Meital Ben Yosef added: “We are broken. But we will not surrender. We will build, grow stronger, and stay united.”