The names of three of the nine people killed in the Iranian missile strike on Beit Shemesh have been cleared for publication: Sarah Elimelech, her daughter Ronit Elimelech, Oren Katz, and Gavriel Baruch Revach (16), of blessed memory.
The deadly incident occurred when an Iranian ballistic missile made a direct hit on a shelter located inside a synagogue in the city. According to initial assessments, several of the victims were inside the shelter at the time of impact, while others were in adjacent buildings.
Jerusalem District Police Commander Avshalom Peled said at the scene that some of the fatalities were apparently inside the shelter when it sustained the direct strike. He noted that the Home Front Command is examining whether the shelter was functioning properly.
The Israel Defense Forces stated that a preliminary investigation found the alert system operated as required prior to the missile impact.
Sixty people were wounded in the attack. Three are listed in critical condition, including a young girl. Five were moderately injured - among them two children, including a four-year-old - while the remainder, some of them children, sustained light injuries. Hadassah Medical Center reported that a pregnant woman was among the injured.
Fire and Rescue Services said more than 70 victims were evacuated from the scene.
Home Front Command commander Shai Klapper said the direct hit appears to have breached the shelter’s protective structure. Commander Peled explained that while reinforced shelters and protected rooms provide substantial protection from nearby impacts and shrapnel, they have not withstood direct hits from heavy ballistic missiles.
At the scene, the Police Commissioner stressed that despite the tragic outcome, protected rooms and public shelters remain the safest places to be during rocket and missile attacks.