THREE people have been left in a “serious condition” after being stabbed at a shopping mall in Israel.
The victims are believed to have been knifed near a mall in the town of Gan Yavne, central Israel, as part of a suspected terror attack.
Local media state the attacker had been “neutralised” on the spot by a municipal police force following the stabbing spree.
The head of the local council called the attacker a “terrorist”, according to the Times of Israel.
There are fears the attack is strongly linked to Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli police have set up roadblocks around the scene of the crime to help prevent any further attacks.
The force said in a statement: “Police forces were called to the Friendly Gan Yavne Shopping Mall following a report of a suspected attack.
“From an initial report, there are several victims with stab wounds at the scene.”
The head of the Gan Yavne Council, Aharon Dror, also spoke of multiple people being injured on the scene.
His statement read: “The terrorist was neutralised by our municipal police in Gan Yavne, an inspector and a policeman who arrived at the scene and handled the incident.
“The security forces and the Israel Police, along with our security division and the local security squad, are conducting patrols throughout the area.”
Israeli outlet Mako state the victims were three young men aged 17, 20 and 35.
A preliminary investigation of the attack reveals that the terrorist was a 19-year-old Palestinian worker from Doura, in the Hebron district, who worked in one of the nearby stores.
He allegedly ambushed the three people, stabbing two before wounding the third.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service said the victims were taken to Ashdod’s Assuta Hospital.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
