A Boston college professor’s daughter and son-in-law were among those killed in Israel after a series of fierce attacks from Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.
Professor Ilan Troen, 83, had recently retired from his role at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, and moved to Israel to be with his family.
The Boston-born academic recalled how his daughter and son-in-law were killed by gunmen from the Gaza strip on Saturday – and how the pair managed to save their teenage son by flinging their bodies over him.
The family were together in a secure room inside their home when in was penetrated by Hamas fighters.
The young boy, Troen’s grandson, was shot in the abdomen and is in hospital.
More than 600 Israelis are now feared dead and thousands more have been injured following an unprecedented attack by militants. The Jewish nation is now raining down fire in a ruthless counteroffensive following the barbaric attacks.
Professor Ilan Troen had recently retired from his role at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts , and moved to Israel to live.
People try to extinguish fire on cars following a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, southern Israel
Speaking to NPR from a Soroka Hospital room in Israel, Professor Ilan Troen said: ‘My daughter and son in law were killed today, but, in their dying, saved his life.
‘They followed his body.
‘They were all together in the secure room. And they covered his body, and he was saved. He – nevertheless, a bullet penetrated them and went into his abdomen.’
Brandeis University confirmed the professor’s tragedy.
They said in a statement: ‘We at Brandeis are deeply saddened to learn that Professor Troen has lost his daughter and son-in-law in the tragic events that are currently taking place in Israel.
‘Ilan, a Brandeis alumnus, and his family have long been treasured members of the Brandeis community, and we hold Ilan, his wife Carol, and his entire family in our thoughts.
‘We condemn in the strongest way terrorism such as we have seen today perpetrated against innocent civilians.’
Troen taught Israel Studies at the private school, having studied there himself as an undergraduate student before receiving his master’s and PhD from the University of Chicago.
Pictured: Soroka Hospital in Israel, where Professor Ilan Troen’s grandson is suffering from a gunshot wound
Palestinians are greeted by crowds after returning from crossing the border into Israel
Journalist Bari Weiss wrote on social media: ‘So many friends of mine count Ilan Troen as a beloved teacher and mentor.
‘Today his daughter and son-in-law were murdered in their home by terrorists. They managed to save their son.’
Historian Martin Kramer said: ‘My friend Ilan Troen, who has done so much for Israel studies in America, has suffered an unimaginable loss.
‘He just recently retired from Brandeis and returned home to Israel. A miracle wrapped in tragedy.’
Yesterday, brazen Hamas fighters knocked on the doors of residents who expected to find Israeli soldiers looking to reassure them about the air-raid sirens.
But instead the violence kickstarted one of the worst atrocities Israel has encountered in decades.
Innocent mothers with children, settlers and even the frail elderly found themselves the ‘war booty’ of the masked terrorists, who dragged them away at gunpoint.
Their actions – which horrified the international community – brought back grim reminders of masked Islamic State terrorists in Syria, who paraded hostages on social media before executing them.
But one Hamas leader hinted to the world that these hostages, whose number was well over 50 last night, would not be killed but be used as human bargaining chips to have their own prisoners in Israeli jails released.
One terrorism expert added that the captured Israelis could even be used as human shields to stop the Israeli air force – which began pounding Gaza yesterday – from blowing up certain targets.
Horrifying footage on social media showed terrified hostages being taken to Gaza by Hamas fighters, who chanted ‘Allahu akbar’ (God is great) as they led them away.
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