Stabbing attack in Beersheva, 20-year-old injured, terrorist killed
Terrorist was Bedouin from Rahat with Israeli ID card
A 20-year-old man was injured in a stabbing attack on Sunday morning at the central bus station in the southern city of Beersheva. Another man was lightly wounded in the attack before security forces intervened, shooting the terrorist and killing him.
A border police officer witnessed the stabbing and jumped on the terrorist to restrain him while an armed soldier nearby shot the terrorist, killing him.
The officer told Israel Hayom, “He stabbed and then I jumped on him and took the knife away from him. They told me to move, and they gave him two bullets. I moved his hand hard and then the soldier neutralized him.”
The terrorist was identified as Naji Abu Freh, a Bedouin from the city of Rahat, near Beersheva and was holding an Israeli identification card.
According to reports, the terrorist used a kitchen knife in the attack. He had no previous police or security background. He allegedly arrived by bus to the station and began stabbing the men shortly after arrival.
Magen David Adom (MDA) volunteer Ariel Cohen told Ynet News: “I was here at the station, and suddenly I heard shouting, 'He stabbed me, shoot him.' We saw a terrorist next to a young man bleeding from his hand. There were soldiers there, he [the terrorist] tried to run towards one of them and they shot him.”
The two injured men were transported to Soroka Hospital in Beersheva by the MDA ambulance service
“We arrived at the scene with large forces, saw a conscious wounded man suffering from a stab wound to his body," MDA paramedics told Israeli media. "We immediately began medical treatment, which included bandages and medication, and evacuated him in an MDA intensive care vehicle to the hospital.”
The 20-year-old victim was believed to be a soldier returning to his military base after a weekend leave.
Beersheva Mayor Ruvik Danilovich said that security forces were conducting searches to see if any other suspects were involved.
Two weeks ago, another terrorist from the city of Rahat carried out a stabbing attack in Beit Kama, about 16 miles from Beersheva.
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This is a breaking story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
