In a tragic turn of events, the daughter and son-in-law of a retired Brandeis University professor were killed in their home in Israel during a surprise attack by Hamas terrorists.
The couple, in a heroic act of sacrifice, shielded their teenage son with their bodies, saving his life.
Ilan Troen, a respected Israeli scholar and recently retired professor at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, revealed the heartbreaking news. He stated that his daughter and her husband had been in a safe room when the Gaza gunmen stormed their residence and opened fire. The couple was killed, and their son was injured.
"My daughter and son-in-law were killed today, but, in their dying, saved [my teenage grandson's] life. They followed his body. They were all together in the secure room. And they covered his body, and he was saved," Troen emotionally recounted to NPR.
Despite the couple's protective efforts, a bullet penetrated them and hit their son in the abdomen. However, he survived the attack.
Brandeis University confirmed the tragic loss of Troen's daughter and son-in-law, who were among the 600 Israeli citizens killed during the unexpected assault by Hamas terrorists. The university expressed its deep sorrow and solidarity with the Troen family in a statement to WBZ.
"We at Brandeis are deeply saddened to learn that Professor Troen has lost his daughter and son-in-law in the tragic events that are currently taking place in Israel. Ilan, a Brandeis alumnus, and his family have long been treasured members of the Brandeis community, and we hold Ilan, his wife Carol, and his entire family in our thoughts," the university stated.
The university also strongly condemned the act of terrorism against innocent civilians.
News of the tragic incident spread quickly online. Martin Kramer, a historian at Tel Aviv University, noted that Troen had recently returned to Israel upon his retirement. "My friend Ilan Troen, who has done so much for Israel studies in America, has suffered an unimaginable loss. He just recently retired from Brandeis and returned home to Israel. A miracle wrapped in tragedy," Kramer wrote.
In response to the surprise attack, the security cabinet in Israel officially declared war, the first since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared the nation for a "long and difficult war" as his administration retaliated against the Hamas terrorists.
"We are embarking on a long and difficult war. The war was forced upon us by a murderous attack by Hamas. The first phase ends in these hours by destroying most of the enemy forces that have penetrated our territory," Netanyahu declared. He vowed to restore security to the citizens of Israel and assured them of victory.
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