“The IDF and the security forces will catch the lowly terrorists responsible for this and settle the account with them,” vowed Defense Minister Naftali Bennett.
By TPS and United with Israel
An IDF soldier on Tuesday morning was killed by an attacker who threw a rock that hit him in the head while his unit was operating to capture terrorists in the Jenin area.
The IDF stated that Amit Ben-Yigal, 21 from Ramat Gan, a member of the elite Golani Reconnaissance unit, was arresting terrorists in the village of Yabed in the Jenin area when he was hit in the head by a rock.
He was wearing a helmet when hit by a large rock, which was dropped on him from a roof, an initial inquiry shows.
Ben-Yigal received treatment from medics at the scene before being flown to Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The IDF has launched a manhunt for the terrorist.
Two of the terrorists arrested in the operation are suspected of throwing rocks at Israeli cars in recent weeks, and the other two are suspected of committing other terrorist acts.
First Sergeant Ben Yigal was promoted to the rank of Sergeant Major after his death, the IDF stated.
He was an only child, the first IDF soldier to be killed in action in 2020 and the first soldier to die in action in over a year.
He will be buried in Beer Yaacov on Tuesday.
Defense Minister Naftali Bennett stated that Ben-Yigal “fell while defending Israel’s security.”
“The IDF and the security forces will put their hands on the lowly terrorists responsible for this, and we will settle the account with them,” he vowed.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his condolences to the family. “As has occurred in all the cases in recent years, the long arm of Israel will reach the terrorist and settle accounts with him,” he said.
“I am heartbroken at youth cut down in its prime, at such terrible loss. I am sure that our forces will reach the despicable terrorists and that justice will be done,” President Reuven Rivlin said.