Daniel Sherman, who survived the deadly attack that occurred yesterday (Saturday) in Samaria, spoke for the first time about the harrowing moments in which he lost his brother, Yehuda Shmuel Sherman.
Yehuda, 18, a resident of Elon Moreh, was killed when a PA vehicle rammed their ATV and sent it plunging off a cliff. His funeral is scheduled for today at 15:30 at the Rachamei Tirtza synagogue in Elon Moreh. Prior to the procession, family and close friends will gather for a private memorial at the Shuva Yisrael homestead.
Daniel, who is married and has a young daughter, founded Shuva Yisrael in memory of fellow soldiers who fell in Lebanon and Gaza. On the day of the attack, he and his younger brother had set out on a routine patrol around the farm, one that quickly turned deadly.
“We were driving along the route around the farm," Daniel recounted. “As I went down a steep paved slope, I noticed a white pickup truck below that appeared to be watching me and waiting at the side of the road. As soon as I passed, the driver began chasing me. He accelerated toward us, and when we reached a sharp turn near a cliff, he rammed our vehicle and forced us off the edge."
Daniel said he regained consciousness minutes later at the bottom of the cliff, trapped inside the wrecked vehicle. Despite his injuries, he followed his IDF training and tried to save his brother. “I called out to him several times, but he didn’t respond. That gave me the strength to get up despite the pain. I reached him and saw he was gasping, so I opened his airway."
He also described a tense and chaotic scene as people from nearby villages gathered. “They began shouting, cursing, and throwing stones at us," he said. Despite this, Daniel managed to call for help. Security and rescue forces eventually reached the scene and evacuated both brothers, but doctors later pronounced Yehuda dead at the hospital.
Following the attack, Samaria governor Yossi Dagan called on security authorities to respond decisively. “There must be no hesitation. This was a terrorist attack," he said. “The terror infrastructure in northern Samaria must be treated accordingly. Only the IDF and security forces should act against those responsible and their accomplices. Our role as citizens is to demand stronger security measures and to reinforce the communities in the region after such a severe attack."