The Israel Police were on the highest level of alert nationwide following Tuesday's terrorist shooting in Bnei Brak, which left five people dead: Israel Police Staff Sgt. Maj. Amir Khoury, 32, from Nof HaGalil; Yaakov Shalom, 36, from Bnei Brak, and Rabbi Avishai Yehezkel, 29, also from Bnei Brak.
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Two other victims were foreigners who as of Wednesday morning had been identified only by their first names: Alexander and Dmitry.
Khoury served as a motorcycle patrolman out of the Bnei Brak police station. He is survived by his parents, a brother, and two sisters.
Israel Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai spoke to Khoury's father, telling him: "I share in your sorrow over the death of your son. This is a tragedy for the police. It's important for me to tell you that your son saved many people's lives tonight. Your son has become part of the legacy of heroism for an entire nation."
Shalom lived in the Pardes Katz neighborhood, adjacent to the site of the attack. He is survived by his wife and children.
Yehezkel, a graduate of Mishekot HaTorah Yeshiva, taught at the Or David Talmud Torah. He is survived by his wife and two-year-old son.
The shooter, 26-year-old Palestinian Diaa Hamarsheh from the village Ya'bad near Jenin, had been in Israel illegally, working in construction. Hamarsheh served time in prisone in 2013, apparently on charges related to terrorism.
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After the attack, police arrested eight other illegal residents near the site of the shooting, although they were not initially suspected of having any direct ties to the attack.
Palestinian reports said that locals were arriving at Hamarsheh's family home in Ya'bad and crying "Allahu Akhbar."
Meanwhile, terrorist operatives in Jenin and Nablus handed out sweets to passersby to celebrate the murder of Israelis.
Hamas welcomed the shooting, saying in a formal announcement that "The heroic actions our Palestinian brethren carry out are a natural and legitimate response to the terrorism of the occupation and the increasing crimes against our country and our holy sites."
"We have warned the occupation time after time against escalation, provocations, and crimes. Our people will not sit idly by, and will work against terrorism and will protect Jerusalem and all the occupied land, and will defend it with total resistance," Hamas said.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad called the attack "Confirmation of the Palestinian determination that the occupation will pay for its aggression and terrorism. The occupation bears full responsibility for the crimes it commits and these actions are a natural response to the bloodshed by the occupation and the settlers. We stress that the resistance will continue to operate against the occupation with all its might."
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