Terror attack leaves two dead in Hadera as Negev Summit begins
Attack comes just days after Islamic State terrorist killed four Israelis in Beersheva
This article was updated at 10:22 a.m. Israel time, March 28.
Two people were killed in a shooting in Hadera on Sunday night in a terror attack just as a historic summit was getting underway in southern Israel with foreign ministers from the United States and four Arab nations.
Both shooters were reportedly also killed and six people wounded in the shooting spree that took place close to 9 p.m.
Yoram Sofer, police commander of the coastal region, described a "grave" incident that was still under investigation. He did not confirm the identity of the attackers, but according to initial reports, the gunmen are both Israeli Arabs. This means they hold Israeli citizenship and live in Israeli towns, not in the West Bank or Gaza, which are under Palestinian control.
The deadly scene unfolded in the coastal city of Hadera where the two attackers opened fire at a bus after it stopped and continued shooting at passersby.
The attack mars the opening of the historic Negev Summit taking place in Sde Boker, in southern Israel, where regional peace is the order of the day. Six foreign ministers are gathered to focus on regional threats including a nuclear Iran and the proxy groups it supports in the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.
However, for Israel, it appears the more immediate threat is from within. Just days ago, an Israel citizen affiliated with the Islamic State carried out a deadly attack in Beersheva where four people were killed. Mohammad Ghaleb Abu al-Qi’an served time in an Israeli jail for his ISIS affiliation, but was released.
These attacks come as police and security officials are preparing for a tense upcoming month. Ramadan – the Muslim month of daytime fasting – begins on Saturday and the holiday is intersected by both Passover and Easter, all feasts which draw worshippers to Jerusalem.
This is a developing story.
Nicole Jansezian was the news editor and senior correspondent for ALL ISRAEL NEWS.
