Beersheba - Eilat Road shooting attack
| Beersheba - Eilat Road shooting attack | |
|---|---|
| Location | Beersheba-Eilat road |
| Date | 23 April 1956 |
| Deaths | 4 civilians |
The Beersheba - Eilat Road shooting attack was a shooting attack carried out by infiltrators from Jordan on Monday, 23 April 1956. Four Jewish civilians were murdered in the attack.[1][2]
Attack
On Monday, 23 April 1956, four Israeli employees of Tahal (the Israel Water Planning Authority) were traveling by vehicle from Ein Yahav to Be’er Menucha as part of their work. While driving along the Beersheba -Eilat road, eight fedayeen militants who infiltrated from Jordan ambushed the vehicle at a section of the road that was in poor condition.[3][4]
When the driver was forced to slow down, the attackers opened fire on the vehicle. The four occupants were unable to escape or return fire. All four were killed by the gunfire. The vehicle continued traveling for several meters before veering off the road and coming to a stop.[5][6]
The attackers then approached the vehicle, stole weapons and personal belongings, stripped the victims, abused their bodies, and set the car on fire. The burned vehicle was discovered at 10:00 p.m., containing the charred bodies of the four victims. The infiltrators returned to Jordan, leaving tracks behind them.[7][8][9]
The victims were Yigal de-Toledo (aged 28), Alexander Vilensky (aged 59), Eliyahu Sukenik (aged 50), and Daniel Ofer (aged 26).[10]
References
- ^ "ארבעה נרצחו בדרך לאילת, דבר" (in Hebrew). April 25, 1956 – via National Library of Israel.
- ^ "ארבעה ישראלים נרצחו ממארב בערבה, קול העם" (in Hebrew). April 25, 1956 – via National Library of Israel.
- ^ "ארבעה יהודים נרצחו בנגב, מעריב". April 24, 1956 – via National Library of Israel.
- ^ "ארבעה נרצחו בנגב, הַבֹּקֶר". April 25, 1956 – via National Library of Israel.
- ^ "עקבות רוצחי 4 עובדי תה"ל בדרך אילת הובילו לירדן, הצופה". April 25, 1956 – via National Library of Israel.
- ^ "נרצחו ארבעה יהודים בערבה ע"י גבול עבה"י, חרות". April 25, 1956 – via National Library of Israel.
- ^ "שרת להמרשלד: הרצח בערבה נושא כל סימני פעולת "פדאיין"". Haaretz. April 25, 1956 – via National Library of Israel.
- ^ "עקבות רוצחי ארבעת עובדי תה"ל - הוליכו לגבול ירדן, על המשמר". April 25, 1956 – via National Library of Israel.
- ^ "עקבות המרצחים הובילו לירדן, שערים". April 25, 1956 – via National Library of Israel.
- ^ "רוצחי ארבעת עובדי תה"ל באו מירדן, למרחב". April 25, 1956 – via National Library of Israel.