Fatal Ramming and Stabbing Attack in Northern Israel Raises Tensions

Sat Dec 27 2025 18:00:54 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A shocking incident in northern Israel left two dead following a suspected terror attack involving a vehicle and a knife, prompting strong responses from Israeli officials and heightened concerns amid ongoing regional unrest.

In a tragic event in northern Israel, two individuals have been killed following a 'rolling terror attack' that began with a vehicle ramming and ended in a stabbing. Israeli officials vowed a forceful response to the attack, which has occurred amid rising tensions in the region.

Two people have been killed in what police describe as a rolling terror attack in northern Israel. The attack commenced in the eastern city of Beit Shean, where a pedestrian was run over, followed by the stabbing of a woman near Ein Harod, located approximately eight miles away. Authorities later reported that a civilian shot and wounded the suspect outside of Afula.

The victims of the attack include 68-year-old Shimshon Mordechai, who was killed during the ramming, while the stabbing victim, identified as 18-year-old Aviv Maor, was also involved. A 16-year-old boy was injured in the attack.

According to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, the suspect was from Qabatiya in the occupied West Bank and had infiltrated Israeli territory a few days before the attack. Following the incident, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced plans to conduct operations in the Qabatiya region, with Katz instructing them to act "forcefully and immediately."

Reports indicate that the 37-year-old suspect was in Israel illegally and had utilized his employer's vehicle during the attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his condolences to the victims' families and commended the civilian who neutralized the assailant.

This attack follows a troubling incident a day prior involving an Israeli reservist who was dismissed after a video surfaced showing him using a quad bike to ram into a Palestinian man praying by the roadside, highlighting an escalation of tensions and violence in the region.

As the situation develops, the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to witness a rise in violent confrontations, with numerous casualties reported in recent months amid heightened unrest.

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