A Palestinian kills two people in a stabbing and car-ramming attack in northern Israel on Friday, prompting a military crackdown in the West Bank village of Qabatiya.
The attack began in Beit Shean, where the assailant rammed a pedestrian with a vehicle. The victim, a 68-year-old man, later succumbed to his injuries. The attacker then stabbed an 18-year-old woman near Maonot Junction in Afula. Both victims died, while a 16-year-old suffered minor injuries after being hit by a vehicle.
Israeli authorities said the 34-year-old attacker, a Qabatiya resident, had infiltrated Israeli territory several days earlier. He used his employer’s car for the attack and was ultimately engaged with gunfire after a civilian intervened. The suspect was taken to a hospital, and his employer was detained for questioning.
President Isaac Herzog condemned the incident as a “horrific killing spree,” while Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to act forcefully against Qabatiya. Soldiers conducted raids in the village, searched the perpetrator’s home, and prepared for its possible demolition. Several young men were detained, and a curfew was imposed, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa.
Hamas described the attack as a response to “the Zionist occupation’s daily crimes” and expressed support for the assailant. The incident comes just days after Israeli forces killed a Palestinian teenager in Qabatiya, which fueled local anger.
This event is part of a larger escalation since the war in Gaza began in October 2023. At least 38 people, including two foreigners, have been killed inside Israel in attacks by Palestinians. In the West Bank, Israeli troops and settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians, including civilians and militants.
The violence has also impacted Israelis, with at least 44 killed in Palestinian attacks or Israeli military operations in the West Bank during the same period. Friday’s attack highlights the continuing cycle of retaliation and rising tensions in the region, as a Palestinian kills and other violent incidents escalate the conflict further.
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