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Karnei Shomron Mall suicide bombing

SOLVED2002Karnei Shomron settlement, West Bank3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

On the evening of Saturday, February 16, 2002, a Palestinian suicide bomber attacked a crowded open mall in the Israeli settlement of Karnei Shomron in the West Bank. The bomber, wearing a 25-pound nail-studded explosive device strapped to his body, approached the entrance to a pizza parlor within the mall and detonated the device at approximately 7:45 p.m. This was reportedly the first suicide bombing to occur at a West Bank settlement.

The blast killed three teenagers: a 15-year-old girl, a 16-year-old girl, and a 15-year-old boy. Two of the victims were killed instantly in the explosion, while the third — one of the girls — died of her wounds eleven days later, on February 27, 2002. In addition to the three fatalities, 27 people were injured in the attack, six of them seriously.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a Palestinian militant organization, claimed responsibility for the bombing. Officials from the group stated that the bomber was Sadek Abdel Hafeth, an 18-year-old Palestinian from the nearby West Bank town of Qalqilya.

Key facts

Victims
Unnamed 15-year-old girl, Unnamed 16-year-old girl, Unnamed 15-year-old boy
Date
2002
Location
Karnei Shomron settlement, West Bank
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2002-02-16

    A Palestinian suicide bomber detonated a nail-studded explosive device at the entrance to a pizza parlor in the open mall at Karnei Shomron settlement, West Bank, at approximately 7:45 p.m., killing two teenagers instantly and injuring 27 others.

  2. 2002-02-27

    A third teenage victim died of wounds sustained in the February 16 bombing.

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People

  • Sadek Abdel Hafeth

    CHARGED

    Identified by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine as the 18-year-old suicide bomber from Qalqilya who carried out the attack; died in the bombing. No formal criminal charges or trial are documented, as the perpetrator did not survive.

  • Unnamed 15-year-old girl

    VICTIM

    Killed in the bombing at Karnei Shomron Mall on February 16, 2002.

  • Unnamed 16-year-old girl

    VICTIM

    Killed in the bombing at Karnei Shomron Mall on February 16, 2002; died of wounds on February 27, 2002.

  • Unnamed 15-year-old boy

    VICTIM

    Killed in the bombing at Karnei Shomron Mall on February 16, 2002.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Karnei Shomron settlement, West Bank

32.1748, 35.0911

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
A Palestinian suicide bomber detonated a nail-studded explosive at an open mall in the Karnei Shomron settlement in the West Bank on February 16, 2002, killing three teenagers and injuring 27 others.
Where did the bombing happen?
Karnei Shomron settlement, West Bank.
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in Israel

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICKarnei Shomron Mall suicide bombingWikipedia · 2026-07-10
  2. PRESSWest Bank Suicide Bombing Kills 2 Israelis and Hurts 30The New York Times · 2026-07-10
  3. PRESSIsrael hits back in West BankBBC News · 2026-07-10