The Yaniv family
The Yaniv familyCourtesy of the family

Esti Yaniv, the mother of the two young men murdered in a terrorist shooting attack in Samaria Sunday afternoon, released an audio recording to residents of her hometown of Har Bracha near Shechem (Nablus).

“Hello, young people of Har Bracha. We took a hard slap in the face from God. We are trying to focus on the good things and the kindness we merited in the past – like celebrating Shabbat as a family, taking a family photo, having good conversations with our children yesterday.”

“We have a huge hole in our hearts, and nothing can close that hole. Not [settlement] construction, not protesting – nothing, not even celebrations will be a bandage [for this]; this hole will stay with us, and we will have to learn to experience happiness despite this hole and to continue, and to draw energy from you, from our children. They were two on their way to learn Torah; increase your own Torah studies, and do something substantive with your army service. Make some soup and distribute it to soldiers.”

“I really have no words that can comfort me, that can express [what I feel]. We are relying on you. We raised you over many years. We planned to have a farewell party on Shabbat; God-willing, we will have a major Shabbat with the local youth. We will be able to talk, and we’d be very happy if you would write stories and memories [of my sons].”

Earlier on Sunday, the victims of the terrorist shooting attack in Huwara were identified as 22-year-old Hillel Menachem Yaniv and his brother, 20-year-old Yagel Yaakov Yaniv.

The two were shot to death in their car on Route 60 in the Arab village of Huwara.

The terrorist approached the brothers’ car and fired 10 to 15 rounds from a handgun at pointblank range.

Israeli security personnel are currently searching for the terrorist.