Tel aviv: At least one person has been killed and five others injured in a series of shootings in Israel, emergency services reported on Sunday. The police have cited a possible terrorist attack as the cause of the violence. The vehicle of a suspected perpetrator has been seized, and the man was shot dead during the process, authorities stated.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Israeli news website ynet reported that the suspect was an Arab citizen of Israel. Initial gunfire was reported at a petrol station near Kochav Ya'ir, north-east of Tel Aviv, injuring two individuals. Further gunshot victims emerged from two nearby locations, with the army later announcing the death of a 55-year-old reservist. Numerous police officers were deployed to secure the area.
Media reported that Police Chief Danny Levi confirmed there was only one perpetrator, despite initial reports suggesting a second suspect might be at large. The recent years have witnessed repeated attacks by Palestinians in Israel, and Sunday's incidents occurred in Israeli towns close to the border with the occupied West Bank.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a briefing on the situation following the shootings due to terrorism suspicions, as per his office's statement. He was closely monitoring updates on what was described as a 'murderous attack.' The Islamist militant Hamas organization hailed the attack as 'heroic,' though they did not claim direct responsibility. The Palestinian group described it as a response to Israel's ongoing actions against Palestinians in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and Jerusalem.