Palestinian kills 2 in stabbing and ramming, Israeli police say

JERUSALEM – A Palestinian assailant ran over a man and stabbed a woman and killed them both in northern Israel on Dec 26, triggering a threat from the defence minister to crack down on the assailant’s village in the occupied West Bank.

The assailant, from the occupied West Bank, was shot and wounded by a civilian at the scene and taken to hospital, the Israeli police said in a statement.

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 in October 2023.

“Preliminary investigation indicates this was a rolling terror 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 near Road 71, 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 a hospital.

Both the victims succumbed to the injuries, Israel’s emergency service provider Magen David Adom (MDA) said in a statement.

MDA also reported that a 16-year-old teenager was slightly injured when “hit by a vehicle”.

Following the attack, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said he instructed the military to respond forcefully in the West Bank town of Qabaitya, where he said the assailant came from, to thwart any further attacks.

The Israeli military said it was “preparing for an operation” in the area.

It said the attacker “infiltrated into Israeli territory several days ago”.

‘Horrific killing’

Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the attack.

“I wish to express my deep shock at the horrific killing spree and the combined terrorist attack in northern Israel carried out by a despicable terrorist,” he said in a statement.

“Israel is committed to reinforcing and strengthening this challenging border and, of course, to bolstering the security response in the area for the full safety of the residents,” Mr Herzog added.

The Dec 26 attack came just days after Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian teenager in the Qabatiya area.

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

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

The Dec 26 attack also came a day after an Israeli military reservist dressed in civilian clothes 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 on the side of a road 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.

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 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. AFP, REUTERS