Terror attack in Itamar: 5 family members murdered

Police suspect armed terrorist entered house in West Bank and stabbed couple along with 3 children; 2 other children escape unharmed.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, REUTERS

MARCH 12, 2011 02:51

Soldiers at Itamar settlement 311 (photo credit: REUTERS/Nir Elias) — Soldiers at Itamar settlement 311

(photo credit: REUTERS/Nir Elias)

Five family members were found murdered in their residence in the West Bank Itamar settlement Friday overnight, after a suspected terrorist broke and entered the house and stabbed the five to death. Two children managed to escape and survived the attack, Army Radio reported.

A Magen David Adom team that arrived at the scene at 1:00 a.m. announced a couple, their 11-year old child, 3-year-old toddler, and a one-month baby girl dead from stabbing wounds.

Palestinian media on Saturday reported that a faction of Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade claimed responsibility for the stabbing incident.

Residents of the settlement reported that shots were heard in the area and that the terrorist succeeded in fleeing from the scene.

Police set out in search of the suspect in the Itamar settlement, which is near Nablus, as well as in the surrounding villages of Awarta, Beit Pouriq, and Beir Mouksaifa. Authorities requested that Itamar residents stay indoors.

The IDF arrested 20 people in the Nablus area in connection with the attack.

The IAF deployed numerous aircraft in the area in an attempt to locate the perpetrators of the attack.

Initial reports said that an armed terrorist cut the fence surrounding the settlement and stabbed to death the couple and their children. It was not yet clear whether more than one terrorist was involved in the attack.

According to the settler Yeasha council, about 100

families live in Itamar.

There was a similar attack on the settlement during a

Palestinian uprising in 2002, when a gunman broke into a house

and opened fire, killing four members of one family and a neighbor.