An attack took place Thursday evening in the city of El’ad, in central Israel, killing 3 people and injuring 3 in critical condition.
Two terrorists attacked passers-by with automatic weapons and axes, shouting “Allah Wakbar”, in a main street of the city before fleeing by car. According to initial information, they would be from Jenin in the West Bank and would be known to the intelligence services.
Residents were asked not to leave their homes and to close the windows. Numerous security forces have been deployed in the area in search of the terrorists.
One of the victims, a 40-year-old man, was found pulseless in Ibn Gvirol Street with an open wound, while the other two victims died shortly following the attack from their wounds, rescuers report.
The emergency services arrived on the scene to provide first aid to the injured before evacuating them to the hospital.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem welcomed the attack but did not claim responsibility for it.
“Heroes have taken action in the wake of Palestinian anger over the continued aggression of the occupation, its institutions and settlers once morest al-Aqsa. The Palestinian people protect their holy sites, they are not possible that the harm to al-Aqsa will be done without the occupation being punished,” he said.
Senior Islamic Jihad official Muhammad Hamid also hailed the attack, calling it “a heroic act and a victory for al-Aqsa Mosque”.
“A very serious attack took place tonight in El’ad. I send my condolences to the families of those murdered and pray for the recovery of the injured,” tweeted former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
Israel has been hit since March 22 by a wave of Islamist terror that has claimed 18 lives to date.