Elan Ganeles identified as US citizen murdered in terror attack near Jericho

A US-Israeli dual national was killed in a shooting attack near the Beit HaArava Junction on Highway 90 in the Jordan Valley on Monday afternoon.

Elan Ganeles was identified as the US citizen who was killed in a shooting attack near the Beit HaArava Junction on Highway 90 in the Jordan Valley on Monday afternoon.

Ganeles, from West Hartford, Connecticut, recently graduated from Columbia University. Ganeles' funeral will take place in Israel and his family will return to Connecticut to sit shiva, according to an announcement by the Young Israel of West Hartford.

Later on Monday night, four shots were fired at an Israeli vehicle near Qusra. No injuries were reported in the attempted attack.

Video from the scene at Beit HaArava showed the terrorists driving up to the junction and firing at passing cars. A passing car was damaged although no injuries were caused. The terrorists then proceeded to the Mul Nevo area where they shot an Israeli, critically injuring him.

The victim, 26 years old Ganales, was transferred to Hadassah Medical Center at Har Zofim in critical condition as paramedics conducted resuscitation efforts. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. On Monday night, US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides confirmed that "sadly, a US citizen was killed in one of the terror attacks in the West Bank tonight."

The terrorists proceeded to drive to the area of the Monastery of Saint George in Wadi Qelt, burned their vehicle and switched to a different vehicle before driving away from the area.

The roads leading to Jericho were closed as Israeli forces searched for the terrorists.

Israel Police chief Kobi Shabtai spoke with M. an officer at the Maale Adumim police station who clashed with the terrorists who carried out the attack.

"I arrived on shift and while I was getting ready, we received a message about hearing gunshots in Beit Arava. We went out there right away and while doing so we realized that there are three scenes," said M. "At a certain point we detected smoke and got closer and found a car on fire with yellow license plates and we realized that it was the vehicle of the terrorists. One of the terrorists aimed a firearm at us and we immediately fired at the terrorists."

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist movement welcomed the attack on Monday evening, saying "Resistance operations are continuing, and the enemy will pay the price for all its crimes."

"The occupation and its fascist government bear full responsibility, and whoever lights the fire and sponsors terrorism must bear the consequences of its terrorism and aggression," said the movement. "The Islamic Jihad movement warns the occupation against persisting in aggression and unleashing the hands of settlers, which will lead to more resistance operations that may reach the Zionist depth. Settlement wherever it is found, it is a legitimate target for the resistance."

Attacks and military action in Jericho

The attacks took place near the West Bank city of Jericho. In January, a terrorist cell from Jericho attempted to carry out a shooting attack at a restaurant in Vered Yeriho. No people were injured in the attempted attack as the terrorists' weapons jammed.

Earlier this month, five Palestinians, including members of the cell that tried to carry out the attack in Vered Yeriho and Hamas terrorists, were killed in an IDF raid on the Aqabat Jaber refugee camp near Jericho.

In January, a new terrorist cell affiliated with Hamas's al-Qassam Brigades announced its establishment in the Aqabat Jaber camp. Members of the cell, which called itself the "Aqabat Jaber Battalion", were said to have conducted armed clashes with Israeli forces operating in the Jericho area.

Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.