A Palestinian driver rammed his car into a man and then stabbed a young woman in northern Israel on Friday, killing both victims and prompting a swift military response.
Attack Sequence
The assault began in the afternoon in Beit Shean, a northern Israeli city. According to police, the Palestinian attacker crashed his vehicle into a crowd, killing one man and injuring a teenage boy. He then accelerated onto a highway, where he fatally stabbed a woman and wounded another person near the entrance to the city of Afula. It was near this Afula entrance that authorities report the attacker was shot and killed.
Victims Identified
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu identified the deceased as Aviv Maor, a teenager, and Shimshon Mordechai, 68. Paramedics pronounced both men dead at the scene. The loss of a teenager and an older man highlights the indiscriminate nature of the attack.
Israeli Leaders’ Response
President Isaac Herzog said he was “shocked by the ‘horrific killing spree’.” He added that Israel was “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.”
Defense Minister Israel Katz identified the attacker as a resident of the West Bank town of Qabatiya. He ordered troops to “act forcefully and immediately” against what he described as “terrorist infrastructure” in the town and warned, “Anyone who aids or sponsors terrorism will pay the full price.”
Military Actions
Following the attack, Israeli forces began amassing troops near Qabatiya. The ministry has conducted several raids in the area over the last weeks, a common practice when attackers come from a particular town. The raids often include the demolition of homes belonging to the assailants’ families, a tactic Israel says helps locate militant infrastructure and prevent future attacks. Rights watchdogs describe such actions as collective punishment.
On December 20, the Israeli military reported that it killed a person in Qabatiya who “hurled a block toward the soldiers.” The killing was later placed under review after Palestinian media aired brief security footage showing the youth emerging from an alley and being shot by troops as he approached them without throwing anything.
Context of Conflict
The incident occurs amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war that began with the Hamas-led attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. That assault killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages. In Gaza, the war has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. The conflict has also sparked a surge of violence in Israel and the occupied West Bank, including increased attacks by Palestinian militants and Israeli settler violence against Palestinians.
Earlier this year, in September, Palestinian attackers opened fire at a bus stop during the morning rush hour in Jerusalem, killing six people and wounding another 12, according to Israeli officials. The pattern of attacks illustrates a broader escalation of violence that has gripped the region.
Key Takeaways
- A Palestinian attacker killed two Israeli civilians in Beit Shean and Afula.
- Israeli leaders condemned the attack and pledged to strengthen border security.
- Defense Minister Katz ordered immediate military action in Qabatiya, the attacker’s hometown.
- Israeli forces have conducted multiple raids in Qabatiya, a tactic aimed at dismantling militant infrastructure.
- The incident is part of a broader surge in violence linked to the Israel-Hamas war that began in October 2023.
The attack and the subsequent military response underscore the escalating tensions in the region, as Israel seeks to protect its citizens while confronting the complex dynamics of the ongoing conflict.
