Hamas terrorist in Gaza
Hamas terrorist in GazaEmad Nassar/Flash 90

The Hamas terrorist organization welcomed Friday evening’s terrorist attack in the Shomron community of Halamish, in which three Israelis were murdered in the middle of their Shabbat dinner.

The organization said in a statement said that "the heroic attack came in the wake of Israel's violation of the rights of our people in Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque."

Omar al-Abed, a 19-year-old from the Palestinian Arab village of Kaubar, was identified as the terrorist who broke into a home in Halamish, murdering three people and wounding a fourth moderately-to-seriously. He was shot by a neighbor and seriously wounded.

It was revealed after the attack that al-Abed identified with Hamas and had been arrested several times by the Palestinian security forces.

Some two hours before the attack, al-Abed published a post on Facebook in which he said he decided to carry it out because of the “harm” done do the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

"I am 20 years old and I have many dreams and I believe they will come true," the terrorist wrote. "I love life and I love to make others happy, but there is no life after what you see in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the murder of women and young people."

The attack took place hours after clashes between Israeli security forces and Arab rioters in Jerusalem and nearby towns and cities, in which several Palestinian Arabs were reportedly killed.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)