The Israeli soldier who was stabbed by a terrorist at a Tel Aviv train station on Monday succumbed to his wounds later that night, after doctors spent hours trying to save his life. Staff Sgt. Almog Shiloni, 20, died of multiple stab wounds to his abdomen and chest. The terrorist was identified as 18-year-old Nur a-Din Hashiyeh from the Askar refugee camp near Nablus. He initially fled the scene, but was found by police in a nearby building where he was hiding. Magen David Adom emergency services paramedics found Shiloni unconscious and without a pulse at the scene of the attack at Hahaganah train station. After extensive resuscitation efforts, they evacuated him to Sheba Medical Center, where doctors were reportedly able to restart his heart. Dr. Yoram Klein, the director of the hospital's trauma unit, said Shiloni was treated in the unit's shock room and underwent a series of surgeries, but died of his wounds despite the doctors' best efforts to save him. "There was a constant smell of blood," said Shiloni's mother, Michal. "I kissed him and hugged him. He was a righteous child. A pure soul. When we parted I said that he must come back to me. All I'm asking for is for him to come back." Shiloni's friends remember him as happy and always smiling. "His dream was to marry his girlfriend Noy after his army service -- they have been together for 2.5 years," said one friend. "He really enjoyed his service despite being so far away from home. He had a short leave [from the army] to do some tests in Jerusalem, and he was on his way to his base when the terrorist murdered him." Shiloni served in the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, which was designed for religiously observant soldiers. One of the battalion's rabbis who guided him in his service, Rabbi Dov Lipshitz, said, "Almog was a true God-fearing man. He always helped the soldiers around him become more immersed in Torah study and God. He was a commander who was respected by his soldiers. This is heart-breaking." Shiloni is survived by his parents, twin brother Sahar, and three other siblings. A trail of blood Two citizens who witnessed the attack had tried to stop the terrorist. Gilad Goldman, 59, and his friend Kobi Langdan were driving by the train station when the saw Shiloni get stabbed. "He didn't scream anything, he just tried to stab the soldier and to take his weapon using a knife," Goldman recalled of Hashiyeh. "We saw him before our very eyes. I went to him and punched him in the face and then he ran." Goldman lightly injured his ankle during the altercation and was treated at Sourasky Medical Center before being released later that day. "Gilad, who was with me, got out of the car and punched the man, scaring him off," Langdan said. "I stopped the car and started running after the attacker screaming 'terrorist, terrorist,' while also calling the police and giving them a description of what he looked like and the direction he ran. He was running away quickly." Langdan described the Hashiyeh as "broadly built and dark-skinned." "He didn't scream, just ran and looked back. Some others grabbed sticks and ran after him too. We turned back to help the soldier because the first priority was saving his life. "It was not an easy experience. Tougher action is needed. It is both in Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv, and we must now see our leaders taking much greater action, not just regular citizens like my friend Gilad doing the small things that they can." While paramedics were treating Shiloni, the Israel Police Special Patrol Unit searched for the attacker. "We got to Levanda Street [where the terrorist was hiding] with Border Police officers," said warrant officer Yaakov Shamiya. "Citizens pointed us toward the building on 18 Levanda Street, where the suspect had apparently fled. We slowly went up the stairs. On the first floor, we saw blood stains. We kept going until we found the suspect laying on his back." Special Patrol Unit Superintendent Galil Amsha continued: "He said he was injured. He had a stab wound on his arm. He was exhausted and we arrested him immediately." Paramedics treated the terrorist for his wound. Shin Bet security agency officials questioned the attacker, who was then identified as Hashiyeh taken to Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv for treatment. Hashiyeh's father spoke to Palestinian media outlets, saying, "My son used to work in Israel and he never took part in terrorist activities, even though he supported Hamas, as many Palestinians do." Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai addressed the attack, saying, "It is important to resume our normal routines while maintaining alertness." Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch arrived at the scene shortly after the attack for a police briefing on the incident. Bystanders shouted at him, "Death to terrorists," and "Quit your job, Aharonovitch." The minister ignored the cries and left the area without speaking to the press.
