Ramming attack in central Israel injures 4 IDF soldiers after Hamas calls Palestinians to ‘escalate clashes’

Four people IDF soldiers were injured on Sunday afternoon in a combined vehicular and shooting attack at the Nir Tzvi junction near Tzrifin in central Israel. 

According to reports from Magen David Adom emergency services, two of the injured are in critical condition, while the other two sustained moderate and minor injuries. The wounded were taken to Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh Hospital) in Be'er Ya'akov.

The IDF later confirmed that the wounded were an IDF officer and three soldiers.

Preliminary reports indicate that a white Toyota vehicle, driven by the terrorist, hit two of the wounded who were waiting at a bus stop. The attacker then continued driving to a second bus stop along the same road, where he struck another two Israelis waiting for a bus.

At least one of the injured was reported to have a weapon and engaged the assailant. Police who arrived on the scene seconds after the ramming attack shot and killed the attacker, who is described as a resident of East Jerusalem. 

Central District Police Commander Avi Bitton spoke to Ynet News from the scene. 

"The attacker ran over a number of Israelis at the bus station, continued for several hundred meters and carried out another vehicular attack," he said. “A Border Police force engaged in routine security here identified the terrorist, strove for contact, and neutralized him while he was still sitting in the car.” 

Bitton added: "It is our mission to check whether he is a lone terrorist.” 

Shortly after the attack, the terrorist was identified by his Israeli identity card as Muhammad Shihab (27) from Kfar 'Aqab in East Jerusalem.

Three reserve Border Police soldiers, on regular duty in the area, were driving by the scene of the attack while it took place.

One of the soldiers told Ynet: “We heard a loud noise and the crew driver shouted, 'Wow.' The crew commander noticed the vehicle running over [people] at the bus stop, and the reserve force took command of the scene because more forces were arriving. The team responded by shooting at the terrorist and neutralizing him. [The commander] then went to the window of the terrorist's car, recognized that he was neutralized, secured the scene, and treated the wounded with MDA forces.” 

The incident took place against the backdrop of yesterday's attempted assassination of the head of Hamas' military-terrorist wing, Mohammed Deif, and the terrorist organization's calls on Palestinians to "escalate the resistance.” 

On Saturday, Hamas released a statement calling on “the masses of our Palestinian people in the West Bank and Jerusalem to go out in mass demonstrations… and to escalate clashes with them in defense of our land, our holy sites and our right to freedom and independence.”