Three Israeli tourists were killed and 10 wounded just before 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 29, 2016, when a suicide bomber detonated himself on Istiklal Street, a pedestrian avenue in the heart of Istanbul. The fourth victim killed in the attack was identified by Turkish officials as an Iranian national. The Israelis have been identified as Simha Damri, 60, Yonatan Suher, 40, and Avraham Goldman, 69. The U.S. State Department confirmed that Suher and Goldman were American citizens.
Update (20 March):
An Israeli military aircraft departed early this morning from Israel to Istanbul, to bring back home the wounded Israelis and the bodies of Israelis killed in yesterday's terror attack in Istanbul. Onboard the plane are doctors from the IDF's Home Front command trauma unit as well as a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Israel's delegation landed at the international airport in Istanbul at 10:00. The IDF on board the aircraft will receive the wounded Israelis for continued treatment and transfer to Israel. The Israeli diplomats in Turkey worked all night to prepare the groundwork for the arrival of the delegation, prepare the wounded, and coordinate with the Turkish authorities in Turkey. The Israeli chargé d'affaires in Ankara, Amira Oron, along with the consul general in Istanbul, Shay Cohen, and his deputy, Shira Ben-Zion, accompanied the wounded and the bodies of those killed to the plane.
Shortly after 12:00, after the remaining five wounded Israelis boarded the plane along with the coffins of the three Israelis killed in the attack. A short ceremony was held at Istanbul airport, with prayers and brief remarks by the IDF representative, Charge d'affaires in Ankara Amira Oron and Consul General in Istanbul Shai Cohen. The plane is en route to Israel.
PM Netanyahu (Sunday, 20 March 2016) said at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting:
"I would like to send condolences to the families of those who were murdered in Turkey and wishes for recovery to the wounded. An air force plane with an IDF delegation left for Istanbul this morning to bring the wounded, and the coffins of the murdered, back to Israel.
I would like to commend the Foreign Ministry personnel for their dedicated and professional work in both Istanbul and Jerusalem.
Terrorism sows death around the world. Israel is at the forefront of the fight against global terrorism. This struggle is first of all military, but no less is it a moral struggle. The key to the moral fight against terrorism is to make it clear that terrorism, the murder of innocents, has no justification anywhere - not in Istanbul or the Ivory Coast or Jerusalem. Whoever does not condemn terrorism, supports terrorism."
March 19:
(Communicated by the MFA Spokesperson)
At least 11 Israelis were injured in the suicide bombing in a market in Istanbul, Turkey. Of the 11, 3 were seriously injured, 2 were moderate injured and 6 were lightly injured.
In the past hour (20:00 Israel time), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that at least two citizens were murdered in the attack.
In addition, approximately 15 Israeli citizens are still defined as “not contacted,” however none are from the group of tourists that was attacked and there probably are other reasons why they have not yet contacted family or officials.
Israel is sending planes to Istanbul to assist in the medical care and evacuation of the wounded Israelis, including one from Magen David Adom (Israel’s emergency medical, disaster and ambulance service).
The Foreign Ministry is coordinating the care of the Israeli terror victims with the relevant governmental ministries and other non-governmental groups. The Director-General of the MFA, Dr. Dore Gold, is departing the AIPAC conference in the US early and is flying to Istanbul.