Mother of Ziv Hagbi: 'I wish none of the terrorists remain alive'
Iris Hagbi says those responsible for her son's death deserve to be killed and adds that her son, who is survived by three children and a wife, would have celebrated his 35th birthday on Saturday; 'the terrorist's family should suffer,' she exclaims.
Iris Hagbi, the mother of Ziv Hagbi, who was murdered in the terror attack carried out Sunday in the Barkan industrial area in the West Bank, said she wishes none of those responsible for her son’s death remain alive.
"I want to convey a message—I wish none of the terrorists remain alive. The terrorist’s family should suffer. He shortened the lives of the people there. He should be killed,” the mother vented.
Ziv is survived by three children and a spouse. His parents agreed to donate his organs. He will be laid to rest Monday at 2pm in southern Moshav of Nir Yisrael.
Iris went on to say that her son would have celebrated his 35th birthday in a few days.
“He was an amazing child, an amazing and pure soul that left behind three children and an amazing woman. On Saturday he would have celebrated his 35th birthday. I have to bury my son at the age of 35. What have I done wrong in my life, what will happen now?" she bemoaned.
“He started working there six months ago. We understood what had happened this morning when we heard the mention of Barkan. I called him and he did not answer, then we heard that two people are critically wounded and it became clear,” she described while explaining how the family found out that Ziv was caught in the terror attack.
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot toured the factory where the shooting was executed and held a situation evaluation with the attendance of the military brass, following which it was decided to bolster IDF forces deployed in the area.
The attack’s second victim, Kim Levengrond Yehezkel, 28, from Rosh HaAyin, will be laid to rest Sunday at 10pm. Kim is survived by her husband and a one-year and four-months-old baby.
Kim’s aunt, Yehudit, said she hopes those responsible for the attack are caught.
"Kim always had a smile on her face, she was sweet and loving. Momentarily, the skies shattered, but Kim will always be with us. I am angry, someone has to answer for this, and fast. Parents shouldn’t bury their children," the aunt added.
Education Minister Naftali Bennett also addressed the Barkan terror attack on Sunday.
"In the face of this terrible tragedy, Hamas is handing out candies and Mahmoud Abbas is taking care of payments (to the terrorist), we must stop this celebration. The State of Israel is committed to its citizens’ security.” he stressed.
Bennett added that "the entire nation of Israel sends its condolences to the families."
Earlier, Hamas welcomed the attack, calling it “a new chapter in our resistance in the West Bank.”
"The incident has proven that the attempts of the Palestinian Authority to normalize relations with the Zionist occupier are unsuccessful. The Palestinian youth wants confrontation,” the terror organization said in an official statement.
IDF Spokesperson Brigadier General Ronen Manelis said despite the fact that the terrorist might have had additional motives for his crime, the incident is still being investigated as a terror attack.
"The terrorist might have had additional motives (which are not nationalistically motivated), but that doesn't change the fact this is a terror attack," he added.
The terrorist worked for seven months in the Alon recycling factory in the industrial area. The Border Police's counter terrorism special unit Yamam, the elite Duvdevan unit, the counterterrorism Lotar unit, and the IDF Oketz Unit, as well as Shin Bet forces and Central Command and West Bank Brigade soldiers, are taking part in the manhunt for the terrorist.
