IDF Chief of Staff, “We will not rest until we lay our hands on the
murderers”
12 March 2011 , 23:40

IDF Website

The IDF and Israel Police have been undertaking widespread searches in and
around the Itamar community since one or more terrorists murdered five
members of a resident family in their home. On Friday night (Mar. 11), at
approximately 22:00, the terrorists broke into the community, located
southeast of Nablus, entering the family’s home and stabbing its sleeping
members to death. The family’s two parents were killed along with three of
their children. The family’s 12-year-old daughter managed to help her
six-year-old and two-year-old brothers escape, after which they called for
help.

The victims were identified as Udi Fogel (36.5), his wife Ruth (35) and
children Yoav (11), Elad (4) and Hadas (three months).

The five will be buried on Sunday afternoon (Mar. 13) in Jerusalem.

After the report of the attack, IDF forces and Israel Police sprang to the
scene, the two beginning various, widespread searches in the community and
surrounding areas. Over the course of the night, the Chief of General Staff,
Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz and Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahi arrived as well. Thus far,
searches have uncovered that the terrorist or terrorists were able to pass
through the community’s gate without triggering its alert system.

Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz arrived at the family’s home the
following morning saying, “We will not rest until we lay our hands on the
murderers. This incident is atrocious, its perpetrators capable of beastly
crimes. Its scenes are horrific, the viewer unable to really grasp what
happened. We are getting continuous updates on the situation and are
undertaking many intelligence and operational efforts.”

An updated report of the situation was given on Saturday afternoon at the
Kirya base in the presence of the Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak, the Chief
of Staff, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, Head of the Israel Security Agency, Yuval
Diskin, other officials in the IDF, Israel security forces and Intelligence
Corps personnel.

“This incident can only be described as utterly grave and our hearts go out
to the family. The IDF and Israel security forces will operate quickly using
every means available to catch those guilty of these abominable murders,”
said Minister of Defense Barak.

Maj. Gen. Mizrahi said: "I want to express my condolences to the family and
the Itamar community as well as all the communities in the Judea and Samaria
region." Mizrahi condemned the attack saying it was a "very grave attack.
These heinous, cowardly murderers came in the middle of the night, killing
children and a wife and father for no reason. We are pursuing the
perpetrators and I believe that we will soon have our hands on them. We will
settle this account with the perpetrators."