A stabbing attack took place on Tuesday evening on Jaffa port leaving ten injured and one dead. Initial reports indicated that only two had been left in light and moderate condition respectively. However, the number of reported victims steadily rose and the details of the attack were investigated.
The murdered man was an American citizen, age 29, and his wife was one of those injured.
Police, who were alerted to the attack at 6:23pm, arrived at the incident shortly thereafter and shot the terrorist dead.
According to a police spokesperson, the terrorist stabbed three at the Jaffa port and later went on to the Manatery restaurant nearby where he stabbed an additional four before a police team shot and killed him.
Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedics later reported that they were providing first aid at the scene on a number of victims before evacuating ten victims, five of whom were in serious condition, four in moderate condition and one in light condition. One of the victims, a Jewish immigrant from the former Soviet Union who was celebrating International Women’s Day with his wife, succumbed to his wounds before reaching Wolfson hospital.
“Unfortunately one of the victims did not make it to the hospital alive. Another victim is seriously wounded and is being treated in the trauma ward while one victim sustained lighter injuries and is currently undergoing surgery,” a Wolfson spokesperson said.
A latest police statement said that “the terrorist arrived at the Jaffa port and began stabbing civilians at the scene. As a result, four individuals were evacuated by MDA to various hospitals nearby. The terrorist then began to flee in the direction of Tel Aviv. Policemen who were on their way to the scene of the attack noticed him and shot him.”
“During the terrorist’s stabbing spree as he fled the original scene, he managed to wound three additional civilians who were treated by MDA,” the statement continued.
Large numbers of police are currently scouring the area to verify that there is no additional attacker.
During the attack, US Vice President Joe Biden was visiting the Peres Center for Peace in Jaffa located a short distance from the scene of the attack.
“This is the kind of warm welcome that Palestinians are giving Vice President Biden in his attempt to facilitate the peace talks,” a security official told Tazpit Press Service (TPS.)
Earlier in the day, a woman was arrested at the Qalandiya checkpoint north of Jerusalem, after a knife was found in her bag.
Later on, a stabbing attack took place in Petach Tikva leaving one lightly wounded while at approximately the same time, a policeman was wounded in a shooting attack at Damascus Gate.