Netanel Shakron, 48, was laid to rest Monday evening in the settlement of Alei Zahav following his fatal shooting in the central West Bank on Sunday. Shakron was visiting the Ein Raya spring near the settlement of Neve Tzuf with his son when he was targeted in the attack.

An information systems analyst at Hashchara Insurance Company, Shakron is survived by his wife Merav and six children. Merav Shakron, a lecturer at Ariel University, spoke at the funeral, expressing her grief and recalling her late husband’s supportive nature. “Before I give a lecture, I’m the most prepared person in the world, and most of the time Nati went over the presentation and made sure I was okay with the material. I don’t have that option now,” she said. She described their family life as nearly perfect and reflected on the difficulty of coping with the loss. “I put my trust in God to give me and my children strength,” she added.

The attack was carried out by a Palestinian gunman who fired from a vehicle at a group of Israelis near the spring before fleeing toward the nearby town of Birzeit. Israeli security forces later found the assailant’s car abandoned, and he was apprehended at a hospital about three hours after the shooting. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the attacker was wounded during his arrest by an army tracker operating in the vicinity.

Hamas praised the shooting, framing it as retaliation for what it described as “continuous incursions by settlers and occupation leaders into Al-Aqsa Mosque” and settler violence in the West Bank.

In response to the incident, the IDF imposed a closure on Palestinian villages in the area and announced plans for a “brigade operation” in the assailant’s village to arrest suspects believed to have aided him.

At the funeral, Shakron’s older sister offered a heartfelt eulogy, recalling moments from their childhood and praising his character. “Handsome, smart, modest, always with a loving smile and a huge heart that had room for everyone,” she said of her brother.

Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan also addressed attendees, urging the Israeli government to adopt a stronger military stance against such attacks. “The people of Israel expect the government, after this heinous murder, to change its approach – to drain the swamp, not just chase the mosquito,” he said, emphasizing the need for decisive action.

The attack and its aftermath have heightened tensions in the West Bank, with Israeli authorities continuing security operations aimed at preventing further violence.