DThe jihadist organization Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the “command attack” in a statement published online on Monday night. According to the security authorities, the attackers were killed by special forces. The attack happened during a “historic” meeting of US and Arab officials in southern Israel.
Footage from surveillance cameras in Hadera showed two men with automatic weapons opening fire on a street. Security sources told AFP that “two members of the border police counter-terrorist units who were in a restaurant near the scene of the attack came out and neutralized the attackers.” According to the authorities, the secret service had already identified the two suspects as suspected IS supporters.
According to initial information from the emergency services, six people received medical treatment after the attack. Shortly thereafter, according to eyewitnesses, security forces combed the town of Umm el-Fahm, about 20 kilometers from Hadera.
Meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett traveled on to Hadera, between Tel Aviv and Haifa, after “historic” talks with representatives from the US, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco at a kibbutz in the Negev desert. There he spoke to local officials, according to his office.
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said he had “informed” participants at the Negev summit. “All foreign ministers have condemned the attack and sent their condolences to the families of the victims.” His US colleague Antony Blinken said on Twitter: “Such senseless acts of violence and murder have no place in society.”
The meeting is intended to cement the normalization of relations between Israel and the Arab states.
The radical Palestinian movements Hamas and Islamic Jihad applauded “the exploit of Hadera” but did not accept responsibility for the act. Israeli Arab politicians condemned the attack by the two suspects, who are also said to be Israeli Arabs.
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