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Murder of Israeli Couple in West Bank Ambush Was Botched Kidnap Try

The four Palestinian terrorists who shot and killed the Israeli couple Eitam and Naama Henkin in a West Bank ambush originally planned to kidnap them.

New information revealed in indictments served to the four attackers on Thursday describe the violent Oct. 1 incident on the Jewish settlers in detail, the Times of Israel reported.

Yahia Muhammad Naif Abdullah Hajj Hamad, Samir Zahir Ibrahim Kusah, Karem Lufti Fatahi Razek and Zir Ziad Jamal Amar, who identified as Hamas members, followed the Henkins’ car. From the attackers’ car Hajj Hamad fired dozens of rounds at the Henkins’ car, and when the Henkins stopped, an injured Eitam Henkin tried to fight back and grab Hajj Hamad’s gun. The attackers were surprised by this and decided to kill him and his wife instead of kidnapping them.

The attackers spared the Henkins’ four children who were in the back seats.

Prosecutors found plastic wrist restraints among the attackers’ equipment, bolstering the idea that they were planning a kidnapping.

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