Col. (res.) Hezi Nechama is the civilian who on Tuesday afternoon neutralized the terrorist who carried out the ramming attack near the El Khader junction on Route 60, injuring two teenagers — one seriously and the other moderately.
Nechama recounted that he was driving on the Tunnel Road when he heard the terrorist’s car crash into the hitchhiking post. When he stopped his vehicle, he saw the terrorist get out of the car and start running while holding a knife.
He said that he first fired at the terrorist’s lower body, causing him to change direction, and when the attacker began running toward him, he fired another shot.
In an interview with Ynet, he described: “I passed the junction and about 20 meters away I heard a boom. I got out of the car and tried to understand if it was an accident. People shouted: ‘He has a knife!’ I saw him running toward me, I yelled ‘Stop!’ — and he didn’t stop. I fired at his legs, but he kept going. I shouted ‘Stop!’ again, but he still didn’t stop. So I fired at his upper body, and he fell.”
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir spoke with Nechama and said: “I salute him! Once again it has been proven — a personal weapon in the right hands saves lives!”
In the attack, a 15-year-old boy was seriously wounded and a 16-year-old boy was moderately wounded. They were evacuated to Shaare Zedek and Hadassah Ein Kerem hospitals in Jerusalem.