Six people have been left wounded, two of them critically injured in a terrorist attack in Hadera, north of Netanya on Wednesday.
The assailant, identified as 36-year-old Israeli citizen Ahmed Jabarin from Umm al-Fahm, was shot and arrested by security personnel at the scene.
Emergency services, including Magen David Adom (MDA), responded quickly, evacuating the injured to Hillel Yaffe Medical Center.
According to the hospital, two victims were in critical condition, three in serious condition, and one in moderate condition.
Initial reports from MDA indicated five victims, including two men aged 70 and 50 in serious condition, and three others aged 55, 60, and 70 in moderate condition. All had sustained stab wounds.
Dr. Jalal Ashkar, director of the Emergency Medicine Department at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, told Channel 12 that four of the victims had undergone surgery.
Footage shared on social media showed security personnel with their weapons drawn as they confronted the suspect on Herbert Samuel Street, close to where the attacks occurred.
The stabbing spree unfolded across four different location, Channel 12 reported.
According to Hadera Mayor Nir Ben Haim “the terrorist moved between the locations on a motorcycle. He attacked with an ax and a knife”, during the assaults.
Speaking at the scene, new police chief Daniel Levy implied his police are currently unable to adequately prevent terror attacks.
“I want to stress that the Israel Police, these days, as you understand, is stretched to the limit,” he said. “My heart is with the injured, but it seems like this is what we’ll have to face in this period and we need to be strong.”
Hadera Mayor Nir Ben Haim praised the residents for their bravery in confronting the terrorist.
“This is a difficult day for Hadera, but the heroism of our residents who assisted in the capture of the terrorist proves the importance of vigilance,” he said, according to the Walla news site. “The results of the attack could have been much more severe. I want to thank each and every one of you for your composure and resourcefulness.”
The attack occurred shortly after the anniversary of Hamas's October 7 assault, marking a period of escalating violence.
On Sunday, Sgt. Shira Suslik, a 19-year-old Border Police officer, was shot dead at a bus station in Beersheba, with ten others injured.
Last week, a shooting and stabbing attack in Jaffa left seven dead and at least eight wounded, making it one of the deadliest incidents in recent years.
In 2022, two Border Police officers, Yazan Falah and Shirel Aboukrat, were killed in a Hadera attack by Islamic State supporters from Umm al-Fahm.
