Israeli terror victim Shimon Maatuf died overnight Wednesday almost nine months after he suffered severe head wounds in an attack by two Palestinians armed with axes in the central city of Elad.
Maatuf had been employed as a security guard at an amusement park set up for celebrations on Independence Day when the attack took place on May 5, 2022.
The terrorists killed Yonatan Havakuk, Boaz Gol and Oren Ben-Yiftach, and left four people seriously wounded, including Maatuf.
Following initial treatment Maatuf was moved to a rehabilitation facility, where he had remained until November, when his condition worsened and became life-threatening, at which point he was evacuated to Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov Hospital) in Tel Aviv.
In June, Jenin residents Assad Yussef Assad al-Rafa’i and Sabhi Imad Sabhi Abu Shakir were indicted on three counts of aggravated murder and committing acts of terrorism for their roles in the attack.
Maatuf’s death follows two Palestinian terrorist shootings over Shabbat, one of which killed seven people at a synagogue in Jerusalem.
His funeral is scheduled for Thursday afternoon in the Moshav Bareket cemetery.
Maatuf is survived by six children and 13 grandchildren.
