Palestinian kills two in stabbing and ramming attack in Israel

Jerusalem: A Palestinian killed two people in a stabbing and car-ramming attack in northern Israel on Friday, triggering a military crackdown on the assailant’s village in the occupied West Bank.

The attack came a day after an Israeli military reservist dressed in civilian clothes rammed his vehicle into a Palestinian man in the West Bank, where violence has surged since the war in Gaza began.

The Gaza war, sparked by Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, also set off several attacks by Palestinians inside Israel that have left dozens dead.

“Preliminary investigation indicates this was a rolling attack that began in the city of Beit Shean, where a pedestrian was run over,” Israeli police said in a statement, adding that the victim was a 68-year-old man.

“Later, a young woman was stabbed… and the suspect was ultimately engaged with gunfire near Maonot Junction in Afula following intervention by a civilian bystander,” it said, adding that the attacker was taken to hospital.

Both victims succumbed to the injuries, Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency services said in a statement, while a 16-year-old was slightly injured when “hit by a vehicle”.

The Israeli military said the attacker had “infiltrated into Israeli territory several days ago”.

Israeli police later said the 34-year-old attacker was a resident of Qabatiya and had used his employer’s vehicle to ram two individuals in Beit Shean and then hit a stationary vehicle.

“He then exited his car carrying a knife… and managed to reach an 18-year-old woman and stabbed her repeatedly,” the force said, adding the attacker’s employer had been detained.

– ‘Killing spree’ –

President Isaac Herzog condemned a “horrific killing spree”.

Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to “to act forcefully and immediately against the village of Qabatiya, from which the attacker emerged,” his office said in a statement.

The military later launched an operation in the village, which has seen repeated violence.

Soldiers searched the perpetrator’s home and were taking steps “in preparation for the demolition of the residence”, the military said.

Palestinian official news agency Wafa said Israeli forces had detained several young men and imposed a curfew in Qabatiya.

Palestinian group Hamas said the attack was “an expression of the accumulated popular anger and as a result of the Zionist occupation’s daily crimes” against Palestinian people.

It took place just days after Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian teenager in the Qabatiya area.

– Spiralling violence –

The military has launched an investigation after footage emerged showing the teenager not posing any threat or throwing anything at troops who shot him.

The military had initially claimed a “terrorist had hurled a block toward the soldiers”.

Friday’s attack also came a day after an Israeli military reservist rammed his vehicle into a Palestinian man in the West Bank.

In videos on social media purporting to show that incident, the victim is seen praying by the roadside when the soldier rams him with his vehicle.

Since the start of the war in Gaza following Hamas’ attack on Israel, at least 38 people, including two foreigners, have been killed inside Israel in attacks by Palestinians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

During the same period, violence has also surged in the West Bank, a territory occupied by Israel since 1967.

Israeli troops and settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank, including many militants as well as dozens of civilians, according to an AFP tally based on figures from the Palestinian health ministry.

According to official Israeli figures, at least 44 Israelis, both soldiers and civilians, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or Israeli military operations in the same period in the West Bank.