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The Israel Defense Forces have issued a demolition order for the home of the terrorist who carried out a deadly combined attack in northern Israel in December, killing two civilians and wounding several others.
The military confirmed on Monday that the order was delivered after security forces completed the sealing of the attacker’s residence, in accordance with established counterterrorism procedures.
According to the IDF, the move followed an operational and legal review. Officials said such measures are intended to deter future attacks and are applied after careful examination of the circumstances.
The December assault unfolded across multiple locations in northern Israel and involved both a vehicle-ramming and a stabbing attack, escalating fear and chaos along major roadways.
Authorities identified the victims as Shimshon Mordechai and Aviv Maor. Both men succumbed to their injuries during the course of the coordinated assault, which unfolded within a short timeframe.
The first phase of the attack occurred near Beit She’an, where the terrorist deliberately rammed a vehicle into pedestrians. Mordechai was killed at the scene after being struck by the fleeing car.
After the initial attack, the assailant continued driving before stopping along Route 71. There, he exited the vehicle and carried out a stabbing attack against Aviv Maor.
Maor sustained critical injuries during the stabbing. Despite emergency medical efforts, he later died, bringing the death toll of the attack to two.
The attacker then fled once more, driving southward before being tracked and ultimately neutralized by security forces outside the city of Afula.
Emergency medical teams from Magen David Adom were among the first responders at the scenes. Their accounts highlight the rapid succession of events and the severity of the injuries sustained.
“When we arrived at the scene, we saw the boy sitting inside a car, conscious and suffering from injuries to his limbs,” said Daniel Mousai, a Magen David Adom emergency medical technician.
Mousai explained that bystanders had already begun assisting the injured victim, telling paramedics that he had been hit by a fleeing vehicle moments earlier.
As the medical team prepared to evacuate the injured individual to hospital, they received another urgent call about a second victim lying unconscious on a nearby street.
“I immediately got to him and saw a 68-year-old man lying on the side of the road, suffering from a serious chest injury,” Mousai said, describing the grim discovery.
Together with an intensive care unit team, paramedics attempted life-saving treatment, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation. However, the injuries proved fatal, and the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Israeli security officials later confirmed that the two victims were targeted in what they described as a deliberate and coordinated terror attack, rather than a random traffic incident.
In the aftermath of the assault, security forces launched an investigation, examining the attacker’s background, movements, and possible assistance networks.
The sealing of the attacker’s home was carried out as part of standard procedures ahead of a demolition order. Such actions are subject to approval at multiple levels.
The IDF said the demolition policy is one of several tools used in Israel’s broader counterterrorism strategy, aimed at deterring potential attackers.
Critics of the policy argue that home demolitions are controversial and raise humanitarian concerns, while supporters maintain they are a necessary deterrent.
Israeli authorities have consistently defended the practice, saying it is implemented only after legal scrutiny and is intended to prevent future loss of life.
The December attack added to a series of security incidents that have heightened tensions in recent months, particularly in northern and central regions of the country.
Security forces remain on alert, and officials say intelligence and patrol operations have been reinforced to prevent similar attacks.
As the victims’ families continue to mourn, the demolition order underscores Israel’s ongoing efforts to respond forcefully to acts of terrorism while maintaining legal oversight.