TEL AVIV: A car ramming and stabbing attack in Tel Aviv left seven people wounded on Tuesday, marking the second day of Israel’s major military operation in the occupied West Bank. The suspect was shot dead at the scene. The Palestinian Hamas group praised the attack as an initial response to the recent events in the Jenin camp, where Israeli forces conducted a “counterterrorism” operation, resulting in the deaths of 10 people.
According to the police, the driver in Tel Aviv deliberately targeted pedestrians with a vehicle before exiting and stabbing civilians with a sharp object. The assailant, identified as a West Bank resident, was then neutralized by an armed passerby, confirmed police chief Yaakov Shabtai.
The attack occurred concurrently with the continuation of Israel’s operation in the militant stronghold of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank. The raid, initiated on Monday under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right government, involved hundreds of troops, army bulldozers, and drone strikes. The operation has resulted in the deaths of 10 Palestinians, the detainment of over 100 individuals, and the displacement of thousands from their homes.
Jenin’s streets were mostly deserted, with shops closed due to a general strike. The Israeli army reported uncovering militant hideouts and an underground shaft used for storing explosives during its counterterrorism activities. Around 120 Palestinian suspects were apprehended, while approximately 300 armed terrorists were believed to be in hiding in Jenin, according to the army.
Israeli Aggression in Occupied West Bank
The recent escalation of Israeli-Palestinian violence has been a cause for concern, with the situation worsening over the past year. The Netanyahu coalition government, which includes extreme-right allies, has witnessed an escalation in tensions. Netanyahu described the Jenin camp as a “nest of terrorists” and highlighted the destruction of command centers and the seizure of significant weaponry.
The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the escalation as “an open war against the people of Jenin.” The United Nations expressed deep concern over the violence and called for the respect of international humanitarian law. The United States acknowledged Israel’s right to defend its people but also urged the protection of civilians.
In the Gaza Strip, protesters burned tires near the border fence with Israel, adding to the overall tension in the region. The West Bank has been occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967, and the Israeli settlements in the territory, excluding annexed East Jerusalem, are considered illegal under international law. The Palestinians seek their own independent state and demand the withdrawal of Israel from all land seized in 1967, including the dismantling of Jewish settlements.
Throughout the year, the conflict has claimed the lives of at least 188 Palestinians, 25 Israelis, one Ukrainian, and one Italian, according to an AFP tally sourced from official reports. The casualties include combatants and civilians on the Palestinian side, while the majority of the Israeli casualties are civilians, along with three members of the Arab minority.
