Tourist killed, 5 injured in shooting, run-over attack in Israel

Jerusalem: A tourist was killed and five other tourists were injured on Friday night during a shooting and run-over attack in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, Israeli authorities said.

The incident occurred in the bars and restaurants area along Tel Aviv’s seaside promenade, Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said in a statement, adding the victim was a man in his 30s.

Three of the injured tourists sustained moderate wounds, while the other two were lightly injured, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the statement by the rescue service.

According to a police statement, the assailant rammed his car into passers-by before stepping out and starting to shoot. He was shot dead by a police officer at the scene.

The attacker was identified as an Arab citizen of Israel from Kafr Qasim, east of Tel Aviv, state-owned Kan TV news reported.

Also on Friday, two British-Israeli sisters, respectively aged 16 and 20, were killed in a drive-by shooting in the northern West Bank, and their mother was critically injured, according to Magen David Adom.

Following the attack in Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the border police and military to call up reserve forces “in the wake of terrorist attacks”, according to a statement issued by his office.

The attack occurred amid escalating violence between Israel and the Palestinians, triggered by Israeli raids on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a flashpoint holy site in East Jerusalem, earlier this week.

–IANS

 

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