| Murder of Dvir Sorek | |
| Partof: | the Israeli–Palestinian conflict |
| Location: | Migdal Oz, West Bank |
| Native Name: | רצח דביר שורק |
| Native Name Lang: | heb |
| Time: | 20:30 pm |
| Timezone: | UTC+2 |
| Type: | Attempted hostage-taking, stabbing |
| Fatalities: | 1 civilian (Dvir Sorek) |
| Numparts: | 2 |
| Weapons: | Knife, taser |
| Motive: | Anti-Semitism |
On 7 August 2019,[1] 18-year-old yeshiva student Dvir Sorek[2] was stabbed to death near the Israeli settlement of Migdal Oz.[3]
Sorek was an 18-year-old Yeshiva student, was traveling alone from his yeshiva (named Machanayim) to Jerusalem to buy books for his rabbis as a gift for the end of the school year. He was apparently attacked on his way back, by (it was believed) two assailants, near a bus stop. Despite initially believing that his death was a kidnapping, Israeli security forces came to the conclusion that Soreks' death was a premeditated murder.[4]
Two Palestinian men, 24-year-old Nazir Saleh Khalil Atafra and 30-year-old Qasem Araf Khalil Atafra, were arrested for the murder. Their houses were demolished.[5]
His funeral was held in Ofra, where Sorek’s family resided, the next day and thousands of people attended. Sorek’s father performed the eulogy.[2]
Two Palestinians accused of the murder were captured by Israeli soldiers in the village of Beit Kahil outside Hebron. The suspects were identified as 24-year-old Nazir Saleh Khalil Atafra, a Hamas terrorist, and 30-year-old Qasem Araf Khalil Atafra.[7]