Online deception led to brutal assault; Israeli rescue underscores dangers, accountability, and urgent protection for civilians.
An Israeli young woman rescued from Jericho on Friday night has given police a detailed account describing how online communication escalated into kidnapping and sexual assault. She told investigators she had exchanged messages with the suspect for some time and initially believed he was Jewish—only later discovering he was Palestinian.
According to her statement, upon arriving at the location she was attacked by several men; one threatened her with a gun. She was then taken to an apartment in Jericho and held there. Demonstrating courage and presence of mind, she managed to briefly escape into another room, contacted a friend and the police, and shared her location—actions that proved decisive.
Police confirmed that additional Palestinian Arabs arrived at the apartment before a coordinated rescue was carried out. The incident is under criminal investigation, with authorities not ruling out a nationalist motive. The Judea and Samaria District commander, Moshe Pinchi, assigned the probe to the district’s central unit.
Security officials said early indicators suggested she had been taken into Area A against her will. A call reporting the assault was received around 6:00 p.m., and a mobile trace enabled Palestinian Authority Police—in coordination—to locate the apartment. Following her rescue, the woman—an immigrant to Israel with limited Hebrew—underwent medical examination. Investigators are also examining possible exploitation linked to language barriers and unfamiliarity with her surroundings.
The case highlights the lethal mix of online deception, armed criminality, and jurisdictional gaps—and the necessity of decisive security coordination to protect civilians.
