Israeli Ambassador’s Son, Terror Victim, Remains in Serious Condition After Brain Surgery as Sister Gives Birth Nearby

The family previously lost another son, Maj. (res.) Moshe Yedidya Leiter, who was killed in Gaza in November 2023.

By Shula Rosen

Neria Leiter, the son of Israel’s ambassador to the US, remained in serious, life-threatening condition Thursday after undergoing complex brain surgery for injuries sustained when a terrorist rammed him with a vehicle at a checkpoint on Route 443 in the West Bank.

His father, Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, arrived in Israel on Thursday and went directly to Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center, where Neria, a reservist from Havat Yair, is hospitalized.

Prof. Alexander Yuskovich of Shaare Zedek told Ynet Neria’s condition had stabilized after several examinations and operations.

Yechiel Leiter had been in New York preparing for the prime minister’s visit to the UN when he learned of his son’s condition.

The family previously lost another son, Maj. (res.) Moshe Yedidya Leiter, who was killed in Gaza in November 2023.

Neria and Moshe shared a bedroom growing up and were best friends, their father said.

“Neria has led the family since Moshe’s death,” Leiter told Ynet.

While relatives were at Shaare Zedek, Neria’s eldest sister, Sarah, went into labor two weeks before her due date.

Her water broke after she came to her brother’s bedside, her father said. She was subsequently 40 meters from Neria’s intensive care unit.

Sarah’s husband is serving as commander of the Shaked Battalion. She previously gave birth during the war to a daughter named Shaked.

Neria’s mother, Hannah, told Army Radio the family remained in shock over the attack.

She described her son as someone who had helped hold the family together following Moshe’s death.

“After Moshe fell, he wanted so much to gather all of us together and help us,” she said. “He held our hands. He was amazing.”

Neria’s wife told their children about his condition Wednesday. Their oldest child is 11.