ISIS takes credit for terror attack in Israel that killed at least 2 police officers
The Islamic State has taken credit for a terror attack in Israel over the weekend, in which at least two Israelis were killed and several others were wounded.
Two Arab-Israeli terrorists who had pledged allegiance to ISIS opened gunfire on a group of police officers and civilians in the city of Hadera late Sunday, police said.
Two 19-year-old Border Police officers, Yazan Fallah and Shirel Aboukaret, were killed during the attack, the Jerusalem Post reports.
The shooting began around 9 p.m. local time, according to police. The attackers waited for a bus to drive by before shooting at the civilians.
Undercover police officers from the Border Police's Counterterrorism Unit were eating at a nearby restaurant when the shooting began. They intervened and killed the perpetrators, authorities said.
Two Israeli men in their 20s were seriously injured by the gunfire, and a 45-year-old man and an Israeli woman in her 20s each suffered light injuries. They were taken to HIllel Yafe Medical Center for treatment, according to the report.
The terrorists were cousins from the Arab city of Umm el-Fahm in Israel, police said. Before the shooting, they posted a video on Facebook swearing allegiance to ISIS. Afterwards, the media arm of ISIS released a statement taking credit for the shooting as well as another deadly terror attack in Beersheba last week.
The terror attack was condemned by Israeli officials.
"Tonight's heinous terrorist attack is an attempt by violent extremists to intimidate and damage the fabric of life here," Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz thanked security forces who stopped the terrorists and sent his condolences to the victims' families in a statement Sunday.
"The IDF and all security forces are deployed and prepared with all means to restore calm and maintain the security of Israeli citizens everywhere and in every arena," he said. "We will act vigorously against terrorism and the terrorists, and we will promote the continued reinforcement of the forces on the ground."
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is in Israel for talks with the foreign ministers of Israel, Egypt, Morocco, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, also condemned "today's terrorist attack in Hadera, Israel."
"Such senseless acts of violence and murder have no place in society. We stand with our Israeli partners and send our condolences to the families of the victims," he said.
We condemn today\u2019s terrorist attack in Hadera, Israel. Such senseless acts of violence and murder have no place in society. We stand with our Israeli partners and send our condolences to the families of the victims.— Secretary Antony Blinken (@Secretary Antony Blinken) 1648417324
Another attack in Beersheba last week claimed the lives of four Israelis, in what was the deadliest terror attack on Israeli civilians since 2016. Police said the terrorist attacker, who was killed, was also an ISIS supporter.
Shower Masks & Green Badges | 3/16/21