Authorities have named three of the casualties out of the five people who were killed in a terror attack in Bnei Brak. A local police officer and two fathers have been identified as victims.

 Amir Khoury, 32, a Christian Arab police officer, Yaakov Shalom, 36, father of four, and Avishai Yehezkel, 29, father of one have all been identified by police as victims of the fatal shooting attack. 

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Members of the Zaka organization remove a body at the scene at the scene of a shooting attack in Bnei Brak, March 29, 2022. (Photo by Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

Khoury, originally from the northern town of Nof Hagalil, was a part of the police’s motorcyclist response team in Bnei Brak when the attack took place. 

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Amir Khoury, an Arab-Israeli police officer from near Nazareth died while confronting the attacker

Khoury and another officer were the first police to confront the gunman and bring an end to the terror attack, but in the exchange of gunfire Khoury was shot and later died of his injuries in Bellinson Medical centre, officials have stated. 

 Israel Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai spoke to the police officer’s father, saying “It is important for me to tell you that your son saved the lives of many civilians, His actions will become a legacy and memory of heroism for the whole country.” 

 Shabtai added that his son’s death was “a great tragedy for the police.” 

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Father of four Yaakov Shalom who was killed by a terrorist in his hometown of Bnei Brak

Yaakov Shalom, 36, a father of four and resident of Bnei Brak, was on his way home when he was stopped by the gunman and, was shot at in his car from a short distance. 

According to local media, Shalom is reported the son of Rabbi Meir Shalom, who was a renowned leader of the Yemenite community in Beni Brak and died of COVID-19 last year. 

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Avishai Yehezkel, a Yeshiva student who died trying to protect his son from the attacker

The third identified victim of the terror attack was also a father and Bnei Brak redient, Avishai Yehezkel, 29, who was out on a walk with his two-year-old son and was shot trying to protect his son from the attacker. He is survived by his wife who is eight months pregnant and his son. 

The terrorist has been identified as Diaa Hamarsheh, 26, by security officials. Originally from the town of Ya’bad near Jenin in the West Bank of Palestine, he had entered Israel illegally to carry out the attack. 

The gunman's attack in Bnei Brak began at 7:56 p.m when he started firing at passersby. His rampage carried on across the town, and he began firing at shoppers in a grocery store and cyclists riding past.

He was confronted by armed police on Herzl street and was killed in a gunfire exchange with two officers on a motorbike, including Amir Khoury.

This attack is the third fatal terror incident in a week and has raised concerns of an increasing wave of violence ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. 

 Israel Prime minister Naftali Bennett has said: “Israel is facing a wave of murderous Arab terrorism.” He also added, “Security forces are at work. We will fight terrorism with persistence, diligence and an iron fist.”