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Eight Students Dead in Terrorist Attack
The young students -- from ages 15 to 26 -- had just finished evening prayers and were celebrating the beginning of the new month with ~50 friends. The joyous occasion was abruptly ended at about 8:30 pm in a bloodbath caused by an East Jerusalem Arab youth, age 20, as he opened fire with a Kalashnikov.
Facing the deadliest terror attack since April of 2006, most of the students were unarmed. By the time a neighbor heard the shooting and along with others shot the attacker, 8 bodies lay scattered among the holy texts and many others were wounded. By morning of the next day, 3 of the wounded remained in critical condition with 4 others still hospitalized. Many of the others were treated for shock.
The murdered young men have been identified as
Yochai Lipschitz, 18, of Jerusalem; Yonatan Yitzchak Eldar, 16, of Shiloh; Yonadav Chaim Hirschfeld, 19, of Kochav Hashahar; Neriah Cohen, 15, of Jerusalem; Roey Roth, 18, of Elkana; Segev Pniel Avihayil, 15, of Neveh Daniel; Avraham David Moses, 16, of Efrat; and Maharata Trunoch, 26, of Ashdod.
This is the major Jewish religious study center for young men, many of whom will become Rabbinical leaders of their generation. After the attack, many of the religious leaders who were alumni came to be with the families, neighbors and concerned citizens who gathered to wait and watch while the police and IDF searched the area.
Meanwhile, in the East Jerusalem community of the attacker, many raised Hamas flags; while in Gaza there was dancing and celebrating in the streets. They of couse claimed that this was a just revenge for Israel's defense attacks last week on the terrorist leaders there.
PA virtual leader Abbas of course claimed that deaths on both sides were regrettable. As usual the rockets and missiles striking homes and schools in the towns of Israel are absolutely equated with defensive actions made to put an end to the attacks.
RKNEWS
Terror Attack in Jerusalem -- UPDATE