Six people, including three IDF soldiers, were injured in a ramming attack at the Maccabim checkpoint on the Jerusalem 443 highway near Modiin on Thursday morning.
A terrorist driving a truck rammed into and ran over off-duty soldiers walking on the side of the road near the checkpoint. He then fled the scene and continued driving toward the Chashmonaim intersection, several miles away. By the time, he got to the checkpoint, the security forces had been briefed about the attack and immediately opened fire at the truck, neutralizing the terrorist.
One soldier was critically injured and two were seriously injured. An Israeli couple, both aged 25, were lightly injured after their car was hit by the terrorist, and a Palestinian teenager near the scene was lightly injured. Paramedics provided emergency medical aid at the scene and evacuated the victims to Sheba, Asaf HaRofeh, and Shaare Tzedek Hospitals. Sadly, the critically injured soldier died of his wounds shortly later.
In the wake of the attack, the highway between the two checkpoints was closed to traffic.
The terrorist was later identified as a 41-year-old Palestinian who had a valid permit to work in Israel.
United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Daniel Simchayoff said: “According to passersby, three young people were hit by a commercial vehicle who then fled the scene. With the assistance of a United Hatzalah ambulance and a United Hatzalah physician, we provided initial treatment at the scene to two young people who were critically and seriously injured and to an additional young man who sustained mild injuries. The young man who was lightly injured was transported by a United Hatzalah ambulance to the Shamir-Assaf HaRofeh Medical Center.”
It is the fourth terror attack in less than 24 hours, following the attack at the light rail station in Jerusalem on Wednesday evening, an attack against IDF soldiers at Kever Yosef on Wednesday night, and an attempted ramming attack near Chevron on Wednesday afternoon.
Refuah Shelaima