Reserves IDF officer Eliav Gelman was killed during a Palestinian terrorist attack as he stood guard to protect Israelis against such attacks.
An IDF officer was erroneously killed by friendly fire during a terror attack at the Gush Etzion Junction, just south of Jerusalem, on Wednesday.
He was named as reserve officer Eliav Gelman, 31, of Karmei Tsur, near Hebron. Gelman was married, and his wife, a teacher, is pregnant. He is also survived by two other children.
The terrorist was shot and moderately wounded.
According to initial reports, a knife-wielding Palestinian terrorist approached a hitch-hiking point at the central intersection and attempted to attack Israelis.
A soldier or a civilian, it is yet unclear, drew his weapon and fired at the terrorist, accidentally hitting Gelman in the process.
Gelman was evacuated to Shaare Zedek hospital with serious wounds to his upper body while medics worked to save his life. He subsequently died of his wounds.
The Gush Etzion Junction has been the site of several terror attacks in the current wave of Palestinian terror attacks.
The two most notable attacks were the murder of Hadar Buchris on November 22 and the shooting of three victims, an Israeli, Ya’akov Don, an American Jew, Ezra Schwartz, and a Palestinian on November 19.
This incident was the latest in a long series of almost-daily Palestinian terrorist attacks which have plagued Israelis over the course of the past six months, claiming the lives of 32 victims and wounding over 350.
By: Max Gelber, United with Israel
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