The Dizengoff shooting attack is the latest in a terrorist wave that has claimed the lives so far of 13 people.
Israel was on high alert on Friday, a day after a Palestinian terrorist killed two people and injured several others on a busy street in central Tel Aviv. The terrorist was killed in an exchange of fire with Israeli forces several kilometers away in Jaffa early Friday morning.
The victims were identified Friday morning as 28-year-old old Tomer Morad and 27-year-old Eitam Megini, both from Kfar Saba. Morad worked at Ilka bar.
Dizengoff Terrorist identified
Identified as 28-year-old Ra’ad Fathi Hazem from the Jenin refugee camp, the gunman was located hiding near a mosque in Jaffa by two Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) agents who spotted a suspicious figure similar to the suspect. According to reports, Zaydan pulled out his gun and fired 10 bullets toward the officers who returned fire and killed him.
The Shin Bet said that Hazem no known organizational affiliation, previous arrests or security background. Palestinian reports said that his father was a senior officer in the Palestinian Authority security forces but retired about a decade ago. His uncle praised the attack on Facebook, saying that he had joined his uncles who were affiliated with Fatah and were killed in clashes with security forces.
His father was later filmed outside his house telling a crowd that had gathered that “You will see the victory soon… God, liberate the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the occupiers.”
The agency said that Hazem had entered Israel illegally and that it is being investigated if he had received any support.
Israel’s leaders respond
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Friday morning with Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Minister of Internal Security Omar Bar-Lev, Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi, Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai and other senior officials.
Offering his condolences to those who were killed and wishes to those injured, Bennett praised the security forces who worked throughout the night to locate the terrorist.
He instructed the defense establishment to check if anyone knew of his intentions and also ordered that the Gilboa crossing be closed until further notice “in order to isolate traffic to and from Jenin,” read a statement released by Bennett’s office.
Speaking at a press conference alongside Bennett and Bar Lev, Gantz said that the country is facing a spate of terror attacks and like previous waves, it will be defeated by an “operational iron fist.”
“The State of Israel is the most powerful state in the region. Our enemies know it and feel it,” he said at the conference at the Kirya Military Headquarters in Tel Aviv on Friday morning.
“The IDF and the rest of the security forces will continue to use all the intelligence capabilities, along with all the necessary offensive and defensive systems, in order to cope with this wave, as well as demand a price from terrorists,” he said.
Calling on citizens to maintain their daily routine, Gantz stressed that resilience is the wait to defeat terrorism.
Despite the deadly attack, thousands of Palestinians and Israeli Arabs are expected to attend Friday prayers at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
“Ramadan should be a month of religious worship and family fun and I believe that what most Palestinians think is that terrorism harms them and their interests. Same with the Muslim citizens of Israel,” Gantz said.
The Defense Minister said that while the Palestinian Authority “did well” in condemning the attack, he said that “my demand is that along with the condemnation, that the actions be taken against those who perpetrate terrorism be expanded, in all areas.”
Gantz said that security forces have already made some 200 arrests and “if necessary there will be thousands” in order to prevent future attacks.
“We do not want to punish the public, but security comes first,” he said, adding that “the IDF, the Shin Bet and the police will continue to act with great force against terrorism, and will increase operations on the ground.”
Manhunt in Tel Aviv
The manhunt for Hazem spanned over nine hours, with at least 1,000 police and IDF reinforcements combing the area for the gunman. Forces, including units from the IDF’s Sayeret Matkal, Lotar and the Israel Air Force’s elite Shaldag unit, went building by building in central Tel Aviv looking for him.
Police had urged residents to stay inside and away from windows and balconies while they searched for him.
“After a difficult night, and after long hours of joint activity by the Israel Police, the Shin Bet and the IDF, we succeeded this morning, in operational and intelligence cooperation, in closing a circle and eliminating the terrorist by exchange of fire,” said Israel Police Chief Kobi Shabtai Friday morning. “We emphasized that no matter how much it takes, we will catch the terrorist, alive or dead, and indeed the contact this morning was a quick and determined response from the Shin Bet and YAMAM fighters in Jaffa.”
Attack on bars and restaurants
The attack took place at two locations on Dizengoff Street which is one of the city’s busiest streets on Thursday nights with restaurants and bars along the street full of people. After opening fire toward Ilka Bar, the shooter ran down a side street and opened fire again.
According to Israeli media reports, he shot some 10 bullets.
Victims of terrorism
Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Medical Center said that it’s continuing to treat eight people who were wounded in the attack, including a man who remains in critical condition with “immediate danger to his life.” Another two people, a man and a woman, also remain in critical condition. Two others remain in moderate condition and another four are lightly wounded.
Raised security alert
Bennett, Gantz and Kohavi were at the Kirya receiving updates throughout the search for the terrorist while Public Security Minister Omer Bar Lev, Israel Police chief Kobi Shabtai and IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi were on the scene.
Bennett expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and wished the wounded a speedy recovery on Thursday night. He warned that those that aided the terrorist would pay a price.
Palestinian factions welcomed the terrorist attack on Thursday, with videos of celebrations in the West Bank, Gaza and Lebanon shared by Palestinian media. Hamas called the attack a “natural and legitimate response to the escalation of the occupation’s crimes against our people, our land, Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque.”
Shabtai said that Israel Police would continue with a high level of security following the attack, “including securing the first Friday prayers of Ramadan.”
The police chief warned that they would “respond with great force and intensity to any unusual event, as we responded immediately after the attack in Tel Aviv, and we will pursue anyone who harms or seeks to harm Israeli citizens. ”
“We will expand our operations against the wave of terrorism in attack, defense and intelligence,” Gantz said. “We will continue to operate wherever necessary.”
Ongoing terrorism wave
Security forces have been placed on high alert in response to the rise in terrorist attacks in Israel and gunfire targeting IDF troops in the West Bank. Some 1,000 soldiers in special forces training have been sent to help the Israel Police within Israel’s borders and major cities.
Hundreds of IDF troops were deployed along the Seam Line in an effort to stop tens of thousands of Palestinians who enter the country on a daily basis through breaches in the security fence. The IDF also reinforced troops with 14 combat battalions – 12 to the West Bank and two to the Gaza Division.
The attack was the latest in a series of deadly attacks that began last month in Beersheba, Hadera and Bnei Brak. So far, 13 people have been killed in the attacks.
The last shooting attack on Dizengoff Street was in 2016 when two people were killed and several others were wounded when an Israeli-Arab opened fire on the Simta bar, just a few blocks away from the Ilka bar. The attacker, Nashat Melhem, took a taxi to escape the scene and later shot and killed the driver. Melhem was killed a few days later by security forces.
Khaled Abu Toameh contributed to this report.
Content retrieved from: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-703568.