A 12-year-old boy was tragically killed in a terror attack on a Jerusalem-bound bus in the West Bank late Wednesday night. Yehoshua Aharon Tuvia Simha, from the Beitar Illit settlement, was critically wounded in the shooting and later died at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem despite efforts to save him.
In addition to Simha’s death, three other individuals were injured: a woman with moderate wounds and two others with lighter injuries. The shooting occurred at a junction near the Palestinian town of al-Khader, after which the bus continued to the Tunnels Checkpoint for medical assistance.
The gunman, identified as Ezz Aldin Malluh from Bayt Awa near Hebron, eventually turned himself in, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet. Malluh initially tried to surrender at a Palestinian Authority police station, but was refused entry. Authorities confirmed he did not receive protection from PA forces at any point.
The attack follows an increase in violence in the West Bank since October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led terrorists launched a deadly assault on southern Israel. Since then, the region has witnessed numerous attacks, with 42 Israeli casualties, including security personnel. The IDF’s counterterrorism operations have resulted in the arrest of thousands of Palestinians linked to militant groups, while Palestinian casualties in the West Bank have also been reported.