Israeli Student Stabbed to Death in West Bank; Manhunt Underway

An Israeli religious student was found stabbed to death outside of a Jewish community in the West Bank early Thursday morning. The victim, identified as 19-year-old Dvir Sorek, was partaking in a program known in Hebrew as hesder, which combines religious seminary with military service. He was not wearing his army uniform at the time of his killing, according to the Israel Defense Forces. Israeli authorities are treating the incident as a terrorist attack, and a manhunt has been launched to capture the perpetrator. Initial findings indicated that Sorek was abducted and then killed at a different location. His body was later placed on a road leading to the Migdal Oz kibbutz. In June 2014, three Jewish youths were kidnapped and subsequently murdered in the same area of the West Bank, leading the Israeli military to initiate Operation Protective Edge, a 50-day military campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. No group has thus far claimed responsibility for Thursday’s attack.