Eliyahu David Kay, 26 and an Oleh (new immigrant) from South Africa, is the Israeli who was murdered by a Hamas terrorist in Jerusalem’s Old City on Sunday morning.
Kay, who served in the IDF’s Paratroops Division, was engaged to be married in a few months and was a yeshiva student learning in Kiryat Gat.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation and Rabbi of the Kotel Shmuel Rabinowitz stated they were saddened by Kay’s murder, an employee of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation who was on his way to work as a guide at the Kotel.
Kay “welcomed everyone brightly, doing his holy work,” the statement said.
The US State Department issued a statement hours later, condemning the attack.
“We strongly condemn the terrorist attack today by a Hamas gunman in Jerusalem’s Old City, which killed one person and injured others,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said. “We offer our condolences to the victims and their families.”
Hamas terrorist Fadi Abu-Shkadem fired at Israelis on their way to the Kotel, killing Kay and wounding four others.
Rabbi Aharon Emergreen, 26 and married, was seriously injured in the terror attack and is still in a life-threatening condition.
Rabbi Zeev Katzenelbogen, a 46-year-old father of eight who lives in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem, was wounded and was initially defined as in moderate condition, but after his hospitalization, his condition improved and he is now defined as being lightly injured.
The two Border Police troops who were lightly injured in the attack were released from the hospital later in the day after receiving treatment.
Sunday’s attack occurred four days after an Arab terrorist stabbed two Border Police troops near the Ateret Cohanim yeshiva in the Old City, wounding one of them moderately and the other lightly. The terrorist was shot dead.
The police are boosting their forces in the city in fear of further attacks. While Jerusalem has experienced stabbing and vehicular terror attacks in recent months, a shooting attack is extremely severe.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stated on Sunday during the weekly Cabinet meeting that “this is the second recent terrorist attack in Jerusalem. I have directed the security forces to prepare accordingly and be alert, also over concern for copycat attacks. We need to be on heightened alert and prevent future attacks.”
The Israeli killed in the attack is the first terror victim in seven months, and is the first Israeli to be murdered in a terror attack in Jerusalem in two and a half years.