Terror victims Yagel, Hallel Yaniv's corneas donated to four Israelis

The corneas of Yagel and Hallel Yaniv, who were murdered about a week ago in a shooting attack in Huwara, were transplanted to four patients at Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva. This was announced by the hospital together with the National Transplantation Center on Wednesday morning.

The parents of the brothers, who had signed organ donor cards, decided to donate the corneas immediately after the attack.

One of the patients, 68-year-old Ziona Salzberg from Migdal Ha'emek, talked about the excitement after her eyesight returned: "I wouldn't have imagined. What a strong family, I'm so looking forward to meeting them already. Just to hug them."

Another patient who received his eyesight back thanks to the transplant is 66-year-old Ron Carmeli: "When this terrible incident happened, I looked at the TV and saw their beautiful, big blue eyes. I did not imagine even in my wildest dreams that I would get to see again thanks to them. I appreciate them and this noble act so much."

Yagel and Hallel's parents

Yagel and Hallel's parents, Esti and Shalom Yaniv said: "We were excited to receive the announcement about Hallel and Yagel's cornea transplant this morning. We wish for the donors to see the world's goodness and joy, as our sweet Hallel and Yagel saw it. Their good and beautiful eyes will continue to illuminate our world through these dear messengers and we are filled with satisfaction that even after their death they were able to do good to others."

Dr. Tamar Ashkenazi, director of the National Transplantation Center, said: "When I called Tami Fink, the coordinator at the hospital, she was already waiting for the family. How difficult it is to contact the family to request an organ donation from parents who have lost their child, and it is complex to do so when it comes to the loss of two children. This is a rare and extremely difficult situation."

"In a later conversation with Tami to talk about her difficulty, she said 'This is a wonderful family. A very special family. Salt of the earth, the most beautiful we know.' It seems to me that the entire Israeli people understood this after the interviews that were conducted with the Yaniv family."

A complex operation

Prof. Irit Bachar, director of the eye department at Beilinson Hospital, said: "Corneal transplantation is a medical operation that brings together bereavement and loss on the one hand and the saving of sight and excitement of the transplanted on the other. This is one of the moments that instills in all of us a feeling of unity, kindness, and unconditional giving. I have transplanted hundreds of corneas during my years of work but these transplants were very exciting for me."

"The noble decision of the family at the moment of the tragedy of their lives is exceptionally moving. Since the tragedy, in the last week, we performed four cornea transplant surgeries for patients who have been waiting for a transplant for over a year. Thanks to this donation, we were able to restore the eyesight of all four patients. The transplanted will be able to see optimally about a month after the operation," Bachar added.

On Tuesday, security forces killed the terrorist who carried out the shooting attack. Since last Sunday's attack, the Shin Bet and security forces have been working to locate the terrorist, 48-year-old Abdel Fattah Harusha from the Askar refugee camp near Nablus, a Hamas operative.

After intelligence information pointed to his presence in the Jenin refugee camp, the IDF and the Shin Bet raided a suspicious building where he was staying. During the raid, an exchange of fire began after gunmen opened fire. The terrorist was killed by the gunfire, and three IDF soldiers were lightly wounded and evacuated to receive medical treatment at Rambam Hospital in Haifa.