According to police, the attacker stabbed five people in a section of the city centre after he crashed his car into a bicycle. Amateur video footage uploaded online showed armed bystanders shooting at the attacker and killing him.
Kobi Shabtai, Israel’s police chief, told reporters during a press conference at the scene that it was an “abominable killing spree” by a terrorist who was known to security officials and had been in prison. He stated that the attacker seemed to be acting alone.
Shabtai declined further information about the suspect but Israeli media identified him as a 34-year old Arab man from Hura, a nearby Bedouin village. According to reports, he was held for four years in prison after admitting that he wanted to join the Islamic State group of Syria in 2015.
Abu al-Qeian, the clan from which the attacker was sourced, released a statement condemning and calling the attack a terrorist operation. The family sent condolences and condemned the attack, saying that it was an act of violence by an individual.
Omer Barlev (the minister in charge police) wrote on Twitter that the attack had been committed by a “cursed terrorist that it would be better if he hadn’t been released from prison in 2019.”
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett issued a statement of condolences for the victims’ families and stated that “we will work with an heavy hand against terrorists.” We will also pursue those who help them.
In recent years, Palestinians were accused of numerous stabbing, shooting, and car-ramming incidents against Israeli civilians as well as security personnel.
The majority of the alleged attacks were committed by individuals without any known connections to armed groups. However, it is very rare for such attacks by Palestinian citizens in Israel.
Some Palestinians were seen in Gaza distributing sweets as a way to show their happiness after the attack. Hazem Qassem (a Hamas militant group spokesman) praised the attack as “a reaction to the policy of ethno expulsion” against Arab Israeli citizens.
