BICOM

An Israeli mother and father in their 30s were gunned down and killed yesterday evening in front of four of their children in the West Bank. The attackers reportedly fled to a nearby Palestinian village.

The attack happened shortly before 9pm on a road between the settlements of Itamar and Elon Moreh. Eitam and Na’ama Henkin were driving four of their six children when the attack occurred. Initial reports suggest that as they slowed to turn a corner, a car sped up alongside them and opened fire. Paramedics who arrived on the scene pronounced both parents dead on arrival, while the four children aged between four months and nine years old escaped physical injury.

The victims will be laid to rest in Jerusalem this morning. Meanwhile, the IDF and police have launched a massive manhunt in the area to locate the perpetrators. IDF Spokesman Peter Lerner said that the Henkins “were massacred right in front of their four children … The army has launched an operation to find those responsible for this heinous and barbaric attack.”

Last night’s shooting is the latest in a series of attacks in the West Bank targeting Israelis. In June, a 25-year-old man was killed and three others wounded when gunmen opened fire on his car. Last month, an Israeli car came under fire near the Tapuach Junction, although nobody was hurt, while and Israeli man was injured near Kedumim in a shooting a few days earlier.

Although Hamas did not claim responsibility for yesterday’s shooting, the terror group praised the “heroic attack” and called for “more high quality attacks.” Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the shooting an “especially cruel and disgusting murder,” adding that “wild Palestinian incitement leads to acts of terrorism and murder.” Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon also cited Palestinian incitement for fuelling such attacks and pledged “we will not rest until we put our hands on the murderers and those who sent them.”