Itamar attack (2002)
Encyclopedia
The Itamar attack, was an attack that took place on Thursday night of June 20th, 2002 around 21:00 in which two Palestinian militants broke into a civilian house in the Israeli settlement of Itamar in the West Bank, killing the Shabo family, murdering a mother and her three sons, while injuring two children. Later on the militants also killed the commander of the rescue squad during his attempt to free civilians trapped in the house. The two gunmen were killed and eight Israelis wounded when soldiers stormed the house.
This was the second attack on Itamar in less than a month.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
claimed responsibility for the attack.
The settlements' security unit was alerted to the site as soon as they heard the gunfire. The security unit was the first team to exchange fire with the militants and the first team whom attempted to rescue the civilians trapped in the house. Joseph Twito (age 40), father of five, whom commanded the security squad, was killed during his attempt to rescue civilians trapped in the house by the Palestinian militants whom barricaded themselves in the house.
Later on, many IDF and Border Police forces surrounded the house and exchanged fire with the militants. Yamas forces arrived at the site as well, and began preparing to break into the house. An hour later the soldiers broke into the house. During the exchange of fire one of the militants was killed. The second militant attempted to flee the house through a window but was killed after a brief battle in a nearby house.
During the takeover, eight Israelis were injured and the house burst into flames. Ambulances carrying the wounded were delayed by roadblocks and pelted with stones.
The father of the family, Boaz, wasn't injured in the attack. Two additional family members - the children Yariv and Ataya were not injured in the attack as well.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine claimed responsibility for the attack.
This was the second attack on Itamar in less than a month.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist organisation founded in 1967. It has consistently been the second-largest of the groups forming the Palestine Liberation Organization , the largest being Fatah...
claimed responsibility for the attack.
The attack
The militants arrived at Itamar shortly after 21:00 and started shooting in all directions. They then broke into a civilian home, murdered a mother Rachel (age 40) and her three sons: Neria (age 15), Zvika (age 12) and Avishai (age 5). One of the militants shot and wounded Asahel (age 10), whose injury has later defined as severe, and Avia (age 13), whose injury was later defined as moderate to severe.The settlements' security unit was alerted to the site as soon as they heard the gunfire. The security unit was the first team to exchange fire with the militants and the first team whom attempted to rescue the civilians trapped in the house. Joseph Twito (age 40), father of five, whom commanded the security squad, was killed during his attempt to rescue civilians trapped in the house by the Palestinian militants whom barricaded themselves in the house.
Later on, many IDF and Border Police forces surrounded the house and exchanged fire with the militants. Yamas forces arrived at the site as well, and began preparing to break into the house. An hour later the soldiers broke into the house. During the exchange of fire one of the militants was killed. The second militant attempted to flee the house through a window but was killed after a brief battle in a nearby house.
During the takeover, eight Israelis were injured and the house burst into flames. Ambulances carrying the wounded were delayed by roadblocks and pelted with stones.
The father of the family, Boaz, wasn't injured in the attack. Two additional family members - the children Yariv and Ataya were not injured in the attack as well.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine claimed responsibility for the attack.
Fatalities
- Yosef Twito, 31, of Itamar
- Rachel Shabo, 40, of Itamar
- Neria Shabo, 16, of Itamar
- Avishai Shabo, 5, of Itamar
- Zvika Shabo, 14, of Itamar
See also
- Itamar attack (2011)Itamar attackThe Itamar attack, also called the Itamar massacre,was an attack on a Jewish family in the Israeli settlement of Itamar in the West Bank that took place on 11 March 2011, in which five members of the same family were murdered in their beds...
- List of massacres in Palestinian Territories