Two people were killed on Friday in what Israeli police described as a “rolling terror attack” that unfolded across several locations in northern Israel, involving a vehicle ramming and a stabbing before the suspect was neutralised.
According to police, the attack began in the eastern city of Beit Shean, where a man deliberately ran over a pedestrian. The suspect then continued driving westward before carrying out a stabbing near the community of Ein Harod, about eight miles away.
Emergency services confirmed that Shimshon Mordechai, a 68-year-old man, was killed in the ramming attack in Beit Shean. A 16-year-old boy was also injured and taken to hospital for treatment.
The second fatality was identified as 18-year-old Aviv Maor, who was stabbed near Ein Harod. Paramedics attempted life-saving measures at the scene, but the teenager succumbed to his injuries.
Police said the suspect fled the area after the stabbing and was eventually shot and wounded by a civilian outside the city of Afula. Authorities praised the civilian’s actions, saying they prevented further loss of life.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the attacker came from the village of Qabatiya in the northern occupied West Bank. He added that the incident was being treated as a terror attack with national security implications.
Following the killings, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced preparations for an operation in the Qabatiya area. Katz said he had instructed the military to act “forcefully and immediately” in response to the attack.
In a separate statement, the IDF said the suspect had “infiltrated into Israeli territory several days ago,” raising renewed concerns about illegal crossings and security gaps along the West Bank boundary.
Israel’s Kan News public broadcaster reported that the attacker was a 37-year-old man who had been working illegally inside Israel. The report said he allegedly used his employer’s vehicle to carry out the ramming.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his “deepest condolences” to the families of the victims. In a post on X, he also commended “the heroic citizen who neutralised the terrorist,” echoing praise from senior security officials.
The attack occurred against the backdrop of heightened tensions following a separate incident a day earlier involving an Israeli army reservist in the West Bank.
Video footage circulated online showed the reservist driving a quad bike into a Palestinian man who was praying on the roadside. The man was dressed in civilian clothes but was carrying a firearm at the time.
Reports indicated that the Palestinian victim was not seriously injured in that incident. However, the footage sparked widespread criticism and condemnation.
The Israeli military confirmed that the reservist, who had earlier opened fire in a nearby village, was dismissed from service. His weapon was confiscated, and an investigation was launched.
The United Nations has repeatedly warned of a sharp rise in attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank in recent years. According to UN data, more than a thousand Palestinians have been killed since the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
That assault left about 1,200 people dead in Israel and saw 251 individuals abducted and taken into Gaza, triggering a devastating war in the enclave.
Since then, more than 70,600 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, according to figures released by the Hamas-run health ministry in the territory.
Friday’s deadly incident in northern Israel underscores the continuing volatility of the region, as security forces brace for potential escalation and communities on both sides remain on edge amid the ongoing conflict.