'Wake-up call': Child fatally struck by bus amid violent ultra-Orthodox protest against IDF draft in Jerusalem

Warning: The following article contains graphic descriptions and video footage of a violent incident that may be disturbing to some readers.

Fourteen-year-old Yosef Eizental was fatally struck by a bus in Jerusalem on Tuesday night during an ultra-Orthodox protest against the IDF draft law.

Video footage showed the bus moving toward the demonstrators, hitting Eizental and dragging him beneath the vehicle. Three others sustained minor injuries in the incident.

The bus driver told investigators that he had accidentally entered the protest, attempted to flee, and that one of the demonstrators got caught on the bus.

He said that protesters had surrounded the vehicle, prompting him to call emergency services for help.

An eyewitness to the incident said, “The driver began moving, and then it seemed as if he had no brakes. He drove into all the ultra-Orthodox protesters outside and ran over people. I jumped aside. There were three others under the bus. He continued down another street, hitting three more people, then went under an overpass and struck again – and now there’s a child trapped there.”

At the protest, the KAN News crew came under attack by protesters throwing stones, objects, and even spitting, forcing them to take refuge in a nearby shop until being rescued by dozens of Border Police officers.

One security guard suffered a head injury from a stone, was treated at the scene, and later taken to the hospital. A KAN News camera was also completely destroyed.

מפגין נדרס למוות על ידי אוטובוס בהפגנת החרדים בירושלים@HGoldich pic.twitter.com/1sbmtqbw54

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) January 6, 2026

In response to the protester being run over, residents in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods in Jerusalem were filmed attacking Arab bus and taxi drivers. In some videos that were posted, those filmed can be heard confirming that the vehicle entering the neighborhood was driven by an Arab before cursing at the driver and throwing stones.

The police stated, “A bus that passed through the area, apparently during a disturbance, hit several participants. As a result, there are multiple injuries at the scene, and the incident is under investigation. The bus driver has been arrested and taken to the police station for further questioning.” After the death of the protester was made public, Police Commissioner Danny Levy said in response that the police are addressing the incident with the full force of the law. He also called on the public to calm tensions on the ground, in order to allow the police to carry out their work effectively.

At the start of the protests yesterday evening, the police stated that a small group of protesters “violently disrupted public order. They blocked traffic routes, caused damage to buses, set trash bins on fire, threw objects at officers, hurled insults, and attacked journalists working at the scene.”

The Shas party responded to the incident: “We are deeply shocked. The horrific images of the bus driver recklessly driving into a crowd of people and dragging a young man dozens of meters, are horrifying and disturbing, and must not go unanswered.” United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf said, “I call on the Israel Police and law enforcement agencies to prosecute the driver to the fullest extent of the law and to examine all avenues of investigation.”

President Isaac Herzog also commented on the incident, saying, “We have had a deeply sad and painful evening, after an ultra-Orthodox teen lost his life and others sustained serious, moderate, and minor injuries.” In his message, Herzog expressed condolences to the family of the victim and added, “This painful evening must be a wake-up call for all of us. Now is the time to show responsibility, lower the flames, and do everything possible to prevent the next disaster.”

Several politicians, including Shas leader Rabbi Aryeh Deri, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, also reacted to the protester being fatally struck. In their separate remarks, they voiced hope that the police would conduct a thorough investigation and ensure the driver is brought to justice.

A statement from the Transportation Committee of the Israeli Labor Union said, “This shocking bus incident requires a careful investigation. Our condolences go to the family of the teen who was killed. At the same time, it is important to note that this tragic event is an isolated case that does not reflect the norm. We urge law enforcement authorities, and particularly the Minister of Transportation, to call on the public to remain calm and refrain from any violence against public transportation workers.”