Israeli military prosecutors are filing indictments against three Hamas terrorists for their roles in the attack that killed 30-year-old Tzeela Gez and her newborn son, Ravid Chaim.
The suspects stand accused of carrying out a series of violent attacks in Samaria in recent months, the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and Judea and Samaria District Police said in a joint statement on Friday.
The charges follow a joint investigation between the Shin Bet and police. Prosecutors submitted a statement of intent to indict, known as a prosecutor’s declaration, ahead of filing full indictments in the coming days.
Gez and her husband, Hananel, were driving near the Bruchin Junction in southwestern Samaria on May 14, on their way to the hospital for the birth of their fourth child when terrorists ambushed their vehicle.
The attackers opened fire at around 10 p.m. as the couple traveled toward the Peduel interchange. Tzeela was fatally shot, and though doctors managed to deliver her baby by emergency C-section, Ravid Chaim suffered severe oxygen deprivation and died in the hospital two weeks later.
Three days after the attack, Israeli forces arrested four Hamas-affiliated suspects from the surrounding area.
The primary shooter, identified as Nael Samara, was killed in a counter-terrorism operation in the village of Bruqin. Samara was shot after approaching Israeli troops while carrying a suspicious bag and shouting “Allahu Akbar,” according to security sources.
During the operation, security forces recovered the firearm used in the attack, as well as ammunition, camouflage netting and other gear linked to the cell.
The Shin Bet and police investigation revealed that the suspects had been involved in at least four terrorist attacks over the past six months. Some of these incidents caused injuries and property damage.
Prosecutors are preparing severe charges against all suspects, reflecting the scale and brutality of their activities.
The murder of Gez and her son shocked the nation. Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, informed Hananel Gez of Samara’s elimination, but emphasized that the real solution lies in strengthening deterrence.
“We certainly do not find solace in the killing of this vile terrorist. That is only a small comfort,” Dagan said. “The true remedy is restoring deterrence and preventing the next attack.”
He called to fortify Jewish communities in Samaria and declared: “The appropriate and true response is strengthening settlement—establishing new communities now, in Tzeela’s path and in her memory.”
Tzeela was buried in Jerusalem’s Har HaMenuchot cemetery, and Ravid Chaim was laid to rest beside her after his death. At the funeral, Hananel Gez urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take decisive steps to prevent further terrorism.
The attack was part of a broader wave of violence against Israelis in Judea and Samaria.
In 2024 alone, Palestinian terrorists carried out more than 6,340 attacks in the region, resulting in 27 Israeli deaths and more than 300 injuries, according to the NGO Rescuers Without Borders.