On Wednesday, a stabbing attack occurred in an Israeli mall resulting in one fatality and another individual being wounded. The assailant was shot dead by Israeli police at the scene. Authorities have labeled the incident as a suspected terror attack.
The accused attacker has been identified as Joud Rabia from Nahaf, an Israeli town with a significant Arab minority population. While no specific group has claimed responsibility for the attack, a post on the Telegram site by the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad referred to the incident as a 'heroic operation.'
Medical personnel reported that one of the victims succumbed to injuries after being rushed to the hospital, while the attacker was pronounced dead at the mall located in Karmiel, northern Israel. The injured individuals, both in their 20s, received medical treatment with one in critical condition and the other conscious.
Video footage circulating on social media depicted the aftermath of the attack, showing two men lying on the mall floor receiving medical assistance. One of the individuals was observed wearing a green uniform, while a third man, not in uniform, was also seen lying motionless nearby.
Amidst these events, Israel is currently engaged in a military offensive in Gaza in response to a previous Hamas-led attack in southern Israel last year. The overall violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank has been on the rise, marked by increased Israeli military operations, incidents of settler violence, and Palestinian street assaults.
Earlier in January, a Palestinian ramming attack in central Israel resulted in the death of one woman and injuries to 12 others, underscoring the ongoing tensions and security challenges in the region.
