Baby of Hanukkah Terror Victims Pronounced Dead

Pictured Above: Wedding photo of Amichai and Shira Ish-Ran, married earlier this year. Both were injured in a drive-by shooting by a Palestinian terrorist at a bus stop outside of the Jewish community of Ofra on Dec. 9, 2018. Courtesy of the family.

(December 12, 2018 / JNS) The baby son of Amichai and Shira-Ish Ran, delivered by emergency Caesarean section at just 30 weeks, was pronounced dead on Wednesday, according to a statement by the Shaare Zedek Medical Center.

The young couple had the chance to meet their son, Tinok (“baby”) ben Shira Yael.

His 21-year-old mother remains hospitalized in stable condition after surgery. She was shot on Sunday night—the last night of Hanukkah—by Palestinian terrorists, along with her husband, who was also shot several times but has been reported to be recovering, and five other people at a bus stop near the town of Ofra in Samaria.

Shira and Amichai Ish-Ran married eight months ago and moved to Elon Moreh. Shira is studying education at Orot Israel College in Elkana, and Amichai is a yeshivah student in Elon Moreh.

“Our hearts are with Shira and Amichai on the loss of their 4-day-old baby who does not even have a name,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at an event in Israel on Wednesday night. “These despicable murderers are the most despicable criminals on earth. The security forces are pursuing the murderers. I hope that there will be news on this soon. We will not rest until we have found them and brought them to justice.”

Education Minister Naftali Bennett called the death a tragedy, writing on Facebook: “Our heart is with Shira and Amichai, the heart cries out.”

According to The Jerusalem Post, the baby would be laid to rest on Wednesday night at the Mount of Olives cemetery.