Yehoshua Aharon Tuvia Simcha, a 10-year-old boy from Betar Illit and the son of Rabbi Zusha Simcha, head of the Hasidic yeshiva in Betar, was tragically murdered late Wednesday night in a terror attack near the Al-Khader Junction in Gush Etzion.
The IDF and the Shin Bet announced that after a joint manhunt by IDF, police and Shin Bet forces, which included a military encirclement of Bethlehem and the application of military pressure in the area, the terrorist who carried out the shooting attack on the bus last night near Jerusalem turned himself in to the security forces.
The attack occurred shortly before midnight when a terrorist opened fire on a bus traveling from the Gush Etzion area to Jerusalem. Yehoshua, critically injured in the attack, was rushed to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital. Despite prolonged resuscitation efforts, doctors were forced to pronounce him dead.
Four others were injured in the attack. A 12-year-old boy remains in critical condition, while other victims, ranging in age from their 20s to 50s, suffered varying degrees of injuries. The bus continued its journey to the Tunnels Checkpoint, where rescue forces treated the injured before evacuating them to hospitals.
The terrorist who carried out the shooting attack at the Tunnels Checkpoint - Izz al-Din Maluh, a resident of Beit Awa near Hebron - tried to turn himself in early to the Palestinian police stations in the area, who confiscated his weapon but refused to let it into the police stations. Contrary to reports, the terrorist did not receive protection from the Palestinian security forces at any stage.
Among the injured, three victims were taken to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital: a critically wounded 12-year-old boy, a 24-year-old man in stable condition, and a 55-year-old man with light injuries. Two others were evacuated to Shaare Zedek Medical Center, including a 40-year-old woman in moderate condition and a 20-year-old man in moderate-to-serious condition.
* Arutz 7 contributed to this article.
