At least five people killed in shooting attack in central Israel

At least five people were killed in a shooting attack that took place around 8 p.m. in the city of Bnei Brak in central Israel.

Israel's national emergency medical service Magen David Adom said that paramedics were treating people who were wounded in three different locations around the city, including at least one person in serious condition. 

The Israeli police reported a “difficult situation in a few scenes," in which the shooter drove a motorcycle and shot at civilians using an M-16 rifle. 

The shooter was shot and killed. The 27-year-old came from the village of Ya'bad in the northern West Bank. He had been jailed in the past and had worked at a building site in Bnei Brak.

Another person was arrested and interrogated on the scene on suspicion of assisting the shooter, according to the police spokesperson. 

Police forces were also dispatched to a mall in Ramat Gan – a neighboring city – where no injuries were reported.

Both the Islamic Jihad and the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, a network of military groups associated with the Palestinian Fatah political party, reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack. 

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is expected to hold a security consultation meeting with Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Public Security Minister Omer Barlev, the Israeli police, Israel's internal security service, as well as other security forces. 

On Sunday night two Israeli border police officers were killed in a shooting attack in Hadera. Last week, four people were killed in a deadly attack in Beersheva. Perpetrators of both attacks were Israeli-Arab citizens affiliated with the Islamic State. 

Several Israeli members of Knesset issued statements to condemn the attack. Some members of the opposition slammed the government’s response to the recent uptick in violence. 

May Golan of the Likud party said, “Five more holy Jews were killed just because they were Jewish. The terrible days of the Oslo Accords are returning thanks to the government of submission and laxity that cannot even provide its citizens with basic security. We cannot allow this to continue... when the immune system is weakened the viruses attack.”  

Miri Regev also from the Likud party commented, “Attack following an attack, a difficult week with 11 killed as a result of cruel, terrible terror attack in city centers. A reality reminiscent of the difficult Oslo days.” 

Merav Ben Ari from Yesh Atid, who serves as chairwoman of the Knesset Interior Security Committee, offered her condolences to the families of the victims.