Major Yuval Ezra is the second fatality in the shooting attack in Samaria

Major Yuval Ezra, commander of a battery in the 411th Battalion of the 282nd Fire Brigade in the Artillery Corps, is the second fatality in this morning's (Friday) shooting attack near Havat Gilad in Samaria. His family has been notified.

Ezra was killed in an incident in which a Palestinian snatched a weapon from a member of the settlement's rapid response team, Binyamin Malet, and used it to fire at a group of Israelis who had gone for a hike in the area. Malet was also killed in the incident. IDF forces operating in the area eliminated the terrorist who carried out the attack and recovered the stolen weapon. Malet's funeral will take place today (Friday) at Havat Gilad.

Rescue forces that arrived at the scene treated three wounded Israelis. Ichilov Hospital reported that Ezra was rushed to the trauma unit in critical condition. Doctors fought for his life, but were ultimately forced to pronounce his death. A helicopter was summoned to assist in evacuating the wounded. Additional forces rushed to the scene and are conducting a pursuit of the terrorists and setting up roadblocks in the area.

The incident began after the hikers arrived near the village of Til in the Samaria Brigade sector. Worshippers from the village mosque exited and attacked them. Malet was dispatched to the area to assist the hikers, and the attackers stole his weapon and used it to fire at the Israelis.

Following the incident, groups of settlers carried out a series of "price tag" operations in nearby Palestinian villages, and footage from the area showed fires that broke out near and inside the villages. The IDF and the Shin Bet are preparing for a tense weekend, and the head of the Shin Bet, David Zini, called on citizens not to take the law into their own hands.