(JNS.org) Israel Defense Forces reserve colonel Sariya Ofer was killed Thursday night in the Jordan Valley village of Brosh Habika in a suspected Palestinian terrorist attack.

Ofer was reportedly beaten by at least two Palestinian men wielding iron bars and axes. His wife, Monique, sustained minor injuries.

“They were beaten with blunt instruments,” Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP.

Israeli security forces arrested five Palestinians suspected of being involved, Army Radio reported. The attackers escaped while Monique ran to Route 90 to flag down help for the couple.

“No one will rest until the trails of the murderers are uncovered and the whole picture becomes clear,” Israeli President Shimon Peres said in a statement.

Ofer, who was in his 50s, was a former commander of IDF troops in the Gaza Strip.

The number of terror attacks and attempted terror attacks in Israel rose from 68 in August to 133 in September, according to recently revealed data from the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet). Among the September attacks, 104 took place in Judea and Samaria.