A man was killed and another was wounded in a stabbing attack at a shopping mall in Karmiel, a city in northern Israel, on Wednesday. The attack has been classified as a terror incident, police and medics confirmed.
The Magen David Adom (MDA) ambulance service reported that two men in their 20s were transported to Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya. One of the victims, who was listed in critical condition, later succumbed to his injuries. The other victim remains in serious condition.
According to Northern District Police Chief Shuki Tahauko, one of the wounded men managed to shoot the attacker, neutralizing him. The assailant arrived at the mall on foot and has not yet been identified. Security camera footage from a store inside the mall captured the moment of the attack, showing the assailant lunging at an individual who then opened fire in self-defense.
Senior law enforcement officials conducted an assessment at the scene. Police spokesman Eli Levy stated that security forces are investigating the possibility of additional threats in the area, given the nature of the attack. “Naturally, we are familiar with this type of attacks, and we need to rule out the possibility that there are additional terrorists in the vicinity,” he said.
Community and Official Reactions
Karmiel Mayor Moshe Koninski expressed his concern over the incident, noting that this is the first event of its kind in the city. “It is an old shopping center that is used by most of the area. I hear a lot of speculation about the identity of the [assailant], but we will let the police complete their investigation,” he said. Koninski also hoped that the attacker was not a local resident, emphasizing the diversity in the community.
The city of Karmiel has seen a growing influx of upper-middle-class Arab professionals in recent years, challenging historical segregation trends. Established in the mid-1960s, Karmiel was part of a government initiative to expand the Jewish presence in the Galilee region.
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