Heroic taxi driver rescues elderly passenger during Jerusalem terror attack, says: 'There was shooting from all directions'
Israel reeled with grief yesterday following the horrifying terror attack at Ramot Junction, when two terrorists opened fire, murdering 6 Israelis and injuring 12 others. But amid the chaos, a taxi driver named Yigal quietly embodied the Jewish value of preserving life as much as possible.
On Monday morning, at least 15 people were shot before an armed civilian and a commander in the IDF's Haredi Hasmonean Brigade neutralized the terrorists, putting a stop to the killing spree.
Meanwhile, a short distance away, Yigal took his responsibility of transporting his customers to another level, risking his own life to help his elderly passenger to safety.
Footage of the incident caught Yigal barely flinching as he bent down to help the 85-year-old woman out of his car in the midst of the firing.
Yigal told Ynet News, “I was stuck behind a bus with nowhere to go. Then I heard gunfire and realized something was happening.” However, his instinct was to preserve the life of his passenger, rather than his own. He has brushed off the praise he received following the footage going viral, saying, “This isn’t heroism. Any taxi driver should do this.”
He ushered the lady to a safe corner a few meters away, saying, “I heard a bullet whistle over my head, but I couldn’t tell where it came from. The shooting was from all directions.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog reached out to the taxi driver to commend him.
"I am moved to speak with you, dear Yigal, you are truly an example of civilian heroism. I saw the video and said – get me Yigal!". The president praised Yigal’s cool-headed kindness, saying: "Well done, you are an exemplary citizen. I want to thank you, this is how you bring immense pride to the State of Israel".
Yigal responded, “I don’t see this as heroism. Any taxi driver in that situation should act this way. There was an elderly passenger – I had to get her out of there.” He insisted, “I’m no hero. I did what needed to be done. Now my daughters won’t stop calling me. I’m back at work – I’m an ordinary guy who has to make a living,” he said.
Army Radio reported that the attack took place during an unusually heavy traffic jam at the junction. An eyewitness said the shooting began inside a bus caught in the congestion. According to reports, the assailants, who had infiltrated from the Ramallah area, boarded a No. 62 bus and opened fire on passengers before continuing to shoot outside until they were killed.
Avi Suissa, medic and spokesman for the ultra-Orthodox sector in the United Hatzalah rescue service, described the incident as “a very severe scene.”
Several terror groups celebrated the Jerusalem attack, including spokesmen from Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Houthis. The Marxist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) also added their praise, stating: “All honor and salutations to the souls of the heroic martyrs who carried out the Jerusalem operation, and to the souls of the martyrs of our people.”
In a statement, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said, "In the face of this barbarity, we saw extraordinary acts of heroism which prevented even further loss of innocent lives. This shocking attack reminds us once again that we are fighting absolute evil. The world must understand what we are up against, and that terror will never defeat us."
This year alone, Israeli security forces have thwarted more than 550 such shooting attacks and over 450 explosive device attacks, according to Army Radio.
Jo Elizabeth has a great interest in politics and cultural developments, studying Social Policy for her first degree and gaining a Masters in Jewish Philosophy from Haifa University, but she loves to write about the Bible and its primary subject, the God of Israel. As a writer, Jo spends her time between the UK and Jerusalem, Israel.
