Teen Survives West Bank Shooting That Killed Father Hours Before Yom Kippur
A 16-year-old boy whose father was murdered in a West Bank shooting attack recalls the final moments. The Hamas terrorist was later captured by Duvdevan commandos.
A 16-year-old Israeli teenager whose father was murdered in a West Bank shooting attack has spoken about the final moments before his death. The attack occurred on Friday near the spring of Ein Rian in the Binyamin region, hours before the start of Yom Kippur.
Final Moments and Rescue
Yoav Sharon was in the car with his father, Netanel Sharon, when a terrorist opened fire on their vehicle. Speaking from the mourning tent, Yoav recalled how his father used his final breath to order him to run to safety.
"I didn't notice when he arrived, and I'm not sure if he saw me. I shouted and saw the shattered windows," Yoav described. He managed to signal an IDF tracker who shot and wounded the terrorist, before calling out to his father, who no longer responded.
Netanel Sharon was evacuated with a pulse but later succumbed to his wounds at the hospital. The terrorist, identified as 37-year-old Hamas operative Qadri Samara, had scouted the area the previous day. Following the shooting, Samara fled to Ramallah, where Duvdevan commandos later apprehended him at a local clinic.
Call for Decisive Action
During the shiva, Yoav spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone, urging the government to take decisive action rather than simply prosecuting the perpetrators.
"He told me the usual things—we will bring them to justice. But I want to say that in my opinion, it is not enough to bring them to justice; we need to do something that truly changes the reality," Yoav said.
Hundreds attended the funeral in the community of Neveh Tzuf to bid farewell to Netanel, a multi-talented high-tech professional, educator, and family man. His wife, Meirav, paid an emotional tribute, thanking him for saving their son's life in his final moments.
