A Palestinian man from the West Bank killed two people in a possible terrorist attack in northern Israel on Friday, according to local authorities.
Israeli police thwarted the suspect after he ran over an elderly pedestrian and stabbed a young woman. He also collided with another vehicle, injuring the other driver.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to “act forcefully and immediately against the village of Kabatiya,” the hometown of the suspect, and vowed to target any other terrorists.
“Anyone who assists or backs terrorism will pay the full price,” Katz said. “My heart is with the grieving families, and I commend the security forces for acting swiftly and decisively to neutralize the attacker.”
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed the suspect was an “unauthorized individual who had infiltrated into Israel several days ago.” IDF troops are conducting situational assessments in various regions following the deadly ramming-stabbing attack.
The suspect was heading toward the nearby city of Afula when a police officer shot him.
Authorities said the perpetrator of the “rolling terror attack” was hospitalized with injuries.
The deceased victims were identified as Shimshon Mordechai, 68, and Aviv Maor, 19, according to Israeli news outlets. Shimshon lived in Beit She’an, a city near the West Bank’s northern border, and Maor hailed from Kibbutz Ein Harod. The woman reportedly attempted to hitchhike when she was fatally stabbed near a bus stop. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
In separate statements, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed their condolences to the victims’ families and wished the wounded well.
Herzog said Israel is “committed to strengthening and tightening this challenged border and, of course, to bolstering the security response in the area for the full security of the residents.”
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“Although there have been many thwartings against terror in the past year, unfortunately, we experience murderous attacks from time to time,” Netanyahu said. “The government of Israel will continue to act to thwart anyone who seeks to harm its citizens.”
Friday’s attack comes one day after an IDF reservist, while dressed as a civilian, rammed his vehicle into a Palestinian man in the West Bank. In response, the IDF terminated the reservist’s military service.