2 Killed in Suspected Terrorist Attack in Southern Israel
Two people were killed and several wounded in a suspected terrorist attack in southern Israel Friday afternoon. The attack took place on Highway 40, near Bnei Re’em, around 20 miles south of Tel Aviv. An armed civilian fatally shot the assailant, who had opened fire on people waiting at a bus stop. The attacker, identified as an east Jerusalem resident, had arrived at the location in a stolen car.
Israel Police Chief Kobi Shabtai and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir were quick to the scene, with Ben-Gvir advocating for broader civilian access to firearms, citing the incident as evidence that “weapons save lives.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and War Cabinet member Benny Gantz expressed their determination to combat terror. In response to the attack, Kiryat Malakhi, 3 miles from the site of the attack, heightened security measures. Palestinian Islamic Jihad spokesperson Muhammad Hajj Musa praised the attack, urging further operations against Israelis amid the conflict in Gaza.
