The large-scale manhunt for the suspect behind Sunday’s stabbing attack near al-Auja in the Jordan Valley has ended with Israeli security forces capturing a 16-year-old suspect, according to the IDF and Israeli media. The 24-year-old Israeli victim, Elchanan Hanania, was moderately wounded after stopping near a shopping area along Route 90, where the attacker allegedly approached him from behind and stabbed him before fleeing. Israeli forces launched an extensive pursuit across al-Auja and the surrounding area before locating the suspect in the village.

The attack triggered a major security response involving IDF units, police, roadblocks and intelligence-gathering operations. Soldiers conducted searches and questioned individuals in the area while security forces worked to establish the attacker’s movements and identify his escape route. The IDF said intelligence guidance and the capabilities of the military and Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, helped lead forces to the suspect, who was transferred for further questioning.

Hanania was evacuated to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem after receiving emergency treatment at the scene. The career IDF serviceman from Beitar Illit had reportedly stopped to buy cigarettes while traveling with his pregnant wife, children and father-in-law when the attack occurred. His condition was later described as stable, although he sustained multiple stab wounds and required continued medical treatment.

Footage from the incident and the subsequent security operation has drawn attention to how quickly the attack unfolded and how extensively Israeli forces responded afterward. Security personnel established checkpoints and roadblocks around al-Auja and searched areas extending toward Jericho as the suspect remained at large. The eventual capture followed hours of searches and intelligence-driven operations in the region.

The arrest now shifts the focus from the immediate manhunt to the investigation into the attack and the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s actions. Authorities will seek to determine his motives, establish whether he acted alone and reconstruct his movements before and after the stabbing. The capture also brings renewed attention to the fact that the suspect is only 16, while underscoring the security risks facing Israelis traveling along Route 90 and through the Jordan Valley.