The two Israelis in their 20s who were seriously and moderately injured in the ramming and shooting attack in New Orleans this week had previously served together in reserve duty during the war, taking part in battles in both Gaza and Lebanon.
Recently, they left on a six-week trip to the U.S. to recover from the past year's events. It appears they were injured by the vehicular ramming rather than the gunfire by the terrorist. They’re currently hospitalized in New Orleans and will only be flown back to Israel once their conditions stabilize.
Footage of the attack
The two have known each other since their compulsory military service and had planned to conclude their U.S. trip with a visit to a relative of one of them in Florida. The Foreign Ministry aided their families to fly to Louisiana.
One of them remains in critical condition due to head trauma and limb injuries, undergoing two life-saving surgeries so far. He's still in a life-threatening condition. His friend’s condition is more stable, though he sustained severe limb injuries and internal trauma.
He's no longer in danger but has undergone two major surgeries as well. On Friday, his breathing tubes were removed and he was able to communicate with his family for the first time, recounting what he remembered of the attack.
Israel's Deputy Consul General to the U.S. Elad Shoshan, told the New York Post: " That’s the tragic irony. They left the terror of one country and never expected to be victims of it in another. They came here to relax, to travel. Now that’s interrupted in the most horrific way."
Shoshan mentioned that he managed to briefly communicate with the critically injured Israeli before his first surgery: "He pressed my hand. He’s in severe pain all over his body. When people chant, ‘Globalize the intifada,’ it means importing violence from one region to another.
“And that’s exactly what’s happening. They want to bring violence and terror to America. Israel and the U.S. are fighting the same ideology, the same enemy, as on October 7. Hamas acted like ISIS, that was its inspiration—just like this terrorist."
The New Year’s Eve attack in New Orleans, which left 12 people dead and 35 injured, was carried out by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Texas resident and former U.S. Army serviceman. The FBI confirmed reports that an ISIS flag was found in his car and is investigating his ties to the terror organization.
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The attack took place around 3:15 a.m. local time on Bourbon Street in the heart of the city’s French Quarter, a well-known entertainment district. Jabbar was armed with an assault rifle and fired at his victims during the ramming. At one point, he exited his vehicle and engaged in a shootout with police officers, injuring two of them before being neutralized.