Terrorist wounds six Israelis, some critically, in series of stabbing attacks across Hadera

A terrorist wounded six people, some of them critically, across four separate locations in a series of stabbing attacks in Hadera, a city between Tel Aviv and Haifa, on Wednesday.

After police initially investigated the incident as motivated by criminal motives, it was later officially classified as a terror attack by Israeli authorities.

The assailant, identified as an Israeli citizen from Umm al-Fahm, an Arab town about 20 miles from Hadera, reportedly carried out the attacks in quick succession before attempting to flee the scene on a scooter.

However, local law enforcement officers responded swiftly. After armed civilians tried to stop the suspect, warning him to stop by firing in the air, a municipal guard shot him in the leg.

Eyewitnesses reported chaotic scenes as emergency services rushed to multiple locations within the city. Magen David Adom, Israel's national emergency medical service, dispatched teams to treat and evacuate the wounded.

The victims, varying in age and condition, were transported to nearby hospitals for urgent care with five of them in serious or critical condition.

At the scene, Israel Police Commissioner Daniel Levy said in a statement: "It seems this is what's destined for us during this period, and we need to be strong."

He emphasized that the police are stretched thin, dealing with multiple incidents across the country, including rocket attacks in Haifa and the Krayot area.

In response to the stabbing attacks, police have increased their presence in Hadera and surrounding areas. Authorities are conducting a thorough investigation to determine if the assailant acted alone or had accomplices. 

The attack comes at a time of heightened security concerns, with Israeli defense bodies identifying an increased "willingness to carry out attacks" around the anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre and the upcoming holiday of Simchat Torah, which marks the beginning of the Hamas attack according to the Hebrew calendar.

A previous terror attack in Hadera in March 2022 also involved Israeli Arabs from the town of Umm al-Fahm during a wave of terror attacks that lasted over a year. In that shooting attack, two Border Police officers were killed, and five other passers-by were wounded before the shooters were killed by security forces.

The municipality of Umm al-Fahm issued a statement condemning the attack.

"The municipality and the residents of um al-Fahm believe in and are committed to living together. The good fabric of relations on which we have been working for years cannot be damaged."