12-Year-Old Israeli Boy Killed in West Bank Bus Shooting

The attack near Bethlehem also injured three others, with the suspected gunman later turning himself in to Israeli authorities.

Yehoshua Aharon Tuvia Simha, 12, was fatally shot while traveling on a bus from Beitar Illit to Jerusalem late Wednesday night.
The attack occurred near the al-Khader Junction in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, with three other passengers injured, including a 40-year-old woman in moderate condition.
The gunman, identified as Ezzedine Malluh from Beit Awwa, initially fled the scene but later surrendered to Israeli security forces following a manhunt involving roadblocks and military encirclements near Bethlehem.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the attack, calling it a deeply painful moment for the nation, while a Hamas official praised the act, though without claiming responsibility.
The incident is part of a broader surge in violence in the West Bank, intensifying since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and subsequent Israeli military operations in the region.