2 killed, 2 injured in related terror attacks in northern Israel

At least two people were killed in what Israeli police are calling a “rolling terror attack” by a terrorist who attacked people at different sites in Israel’s northern region on Friday afternoon. 

A 68-year-old man was run over by a terrorist near Beit Shean, about 30 km (18 miles) from the Sea of Galilee. Following that incident, the terrorist fled in his vehicle, and later struck and stabbed a 19-year-old woman at a bus stop on Route 71 near Kibbutz Ein Harod. 

A terror attack near Beit Shean in northern Israel, involved a vehicle-ramming and stabbing that killed at least two people, a 68-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman, before the terrorist was eliminated by security forces near Afula. pic.twitter.com/pIo7bYs189

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Both victims were later declared dead from their injuries by Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency medical services. MDA reported that the initial report of the stabbing incident was received at 12:31 p.m., and that MDA medics and paramedics provided the young woman and the man with medical treatment at both scenes, but were eventually forced to pronounce them dead after resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. 

“We received a report of a traffic accident first, in which a 70-year-old man was injured,” MDA Director-General Eli Bean told Channel 12 News. “The MDA team performed CPR on him. Immediately afterwards, we received a report of another incident that occurred, and we have not yet linked these events. That report concerned a young woman who was stabbed all over her body. MDA teams were forced to declare her dead.” 

Another 16-year-old teen was injured in the first attack and was described as having light-to-moderate injuries. 

“When we arrived at the scene, we saw the boy sitting inside a car, conscious and suffering from injuries to his limbs,” said Magen David Adom EMT Daniel Mousai. “Civilians who were there told us that he had been hit by a fleeing vehicle and they helped him in the first moments.” 

After the two attacks, the terrorist continued with the car toward Tel Yosef before being neutralized by an armed security guard at a junction near the city of Afula. A 37-year-old man was also reported to be wounded in that incident. 

According to a Kan News report, the terrorist, who was later identified as Ahmad Abu al-Rub (37) from the city of Qabatiya in northern Samaria, carried out the attack using his employer's vehicle and was apparently working in Israel illegally. 

According to the initial interrogation, police believe the terrorist acted alone. After receiving medical care at the scene, he was transferred to the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) for further questioning.

Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the IDF to "act forcefully and immediately" in the village of Qabatiya, where the terrorist is from. 

“Anyone who aids terror or sponsors and backs terrorism will pay the full price,” Katz affirmed. 

Meanwhile, earlier on Friday, near Hebron, a terrorist attempted a ramming attack on an IDF vehicle carrying four soldiers. No soldiers were injured in the attack, and the terrorist was apprehended and transferred to Shin Bet for questioning. 

The IDF Spokesperson’s Office stated, “A short while ago, a terrorist accelerated and collided with a military vehicle in which IDF forces were present near the Aduraim area in the Judea Brigade. The forces arrested the terrorist, who was transferred to the ISA for interrogation, and are now carrying out roadblocks in the area. There are no casualties to our forces.” 

President Isaac Herzog expressed "deep shock" following the attacks and conveyed a message of support for the local residents.

“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," Herzog said. "My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of those murdered, and my wishes for a speedy recovery to the wounded."