Israeli Man Murdered in Gush Etzion Attack Named Aharon Cohen, 71, from Kiryat Arba

A 71-year-old Israeli man, Aharon Cohen, was named as the Israeli murdered yesterday in the terror attack at the Gush Etzion Junction that wounded three others.

The attack unfolded in the early afternoon at the busy intersection connecting the Etzion Bloc to Jerusalem. The IDF said the two attackers accelerated their car into Israelis standing at the junction and then exited the vehicle, with one of them stabbing multiple victims. Cohen, a resident of Kiriyat Arba and a father of six, was pronounced dead at the scene by medics.

According to first responders, the additional victims were evacuated to Jerusalem hospitals. Magen David Adom said the wounded included a woman in her fifties in serious condition, a 30-year-old man, and a 15-year-old boy. Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital later reported the woman, 55, remained in serious condition with gunshot wounds, while Shaare Zedek Medical Center said the other two victims were conscious and in moderate and light condition.

Security forces neutralized both terrorists at the scene. According to an initial IDF inquiry, explosive devices were later found in their vehicle and disarmed. During the confrontation, one attacker attempted to assault a soldier at nearly point-blank range. “A reserve soldier closed in and pushed him back with his weapon until he was able to open fire,” the military said.

Later, the father of one of the terrorists praised his son’s actions. “Thank God. I can hold my head high just like the children, youth and the people of Gaza,” he said. “The thing I looked most forward to in life was to be the father of a martyr.”

Kiriyat Arba, where Cohen lived for decades, issued a statement mourning his loss. “Kiryat Arba bows its head and shares in the grief of the Cohen family after the murder of Aharon Cohen, who was killed by evildoers,” the council said. The municipality described him as “a dear and beloved friend, a father of six and grandfather to many,” adding that Cohen and his family “have been an inseparable part of our community for decades.”

The council called for a national response. “The terror continues to strike — the State of Israel must respond with a resolute hand… to recognize the areas of Judea and Samaria, strike terror, and expand the borders of the City of the Patriarchs.” It added that residents would “continue to strengthen life, build new neighborhoods, and reinforce the settlement throughout Judea with full force.”

Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir arrived at the scene last night and conducted an initial field review. “We experienced a difficult event yesterday. The reserve soldiers again demonstrated combat spirit and the readiness to stand at the front,” he said. Zamir praised the troops’ actions as “determination, aggressiveness, and professional performance… You prevented an even more severe attack.”

The IDF said forces mapped the homes of the attackers ahead of demolition preparations and sealed off access routes around Bethlehem and Hebron. According to Palestinian reports, Israeli troops arrested dozens overnight in Beit Omar, the hometown of one of the terrorists.