Arab Israeli terrorists who swore allegiance to the Islamic State terror group killed two Border Police officers and injured 12 others in a shooting attack Sunday in the southern Israeli city of Hadera.
“The two officers died in battle this evening with armed terrorists,” the Border Police said in a statement, adding three other officers were injured in the attack.
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on its Telegram account.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is in Israel for a summit with top dilomats from Arab countries, expressed the U.S.’ condemnation over the attack. “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.
The attack follows a stabbing and car ramming attack last week, also carried out by an Arab Israeli Islamic State supporter, that killed four Israelis in the city of Beersheba.
Israeli security forces gather at the site of a terror attack that left two Israeli police dead in the northern city of Hadera on March 27, 2022. (GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty Images)
According to Israel’s Foreign Ministry, the foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Egypt, who are currently gathered at the summit together with Blinken and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in Sde Boker, sent their condolences to the families of the victims of Sunday’s attack and wishes for the recovery of the wounded.
Security camera footage showed the two bearded gunmen, wearing white overalls, spraying bullets from assault weapons at passersby and police officers at a busy bus stop.
Both of the gunmen were shot dead by two members of an undercover police unit who were dining at a nearby restaurant.
The two victims were identified as Border Police officers Yezen Falah, from a Druze village in Israel’s north, and Shirel Abukarat, from the coastal city of Netanya. Both were aged 19.
The brother of one of the terrorists is an Arab Israeli police officer, Israeli media reported.
Israeli security forces gather at the site of an attack that left two Israeli police dead in the northern city of Hadera on March 27, 2022. (GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty)
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in light of the recent terror attacks, Israel must adapt to a new threat.
“A second attack by Islamic State supporters in Israel requires the security forces to adapt quickly to a new threat, and they have,” he said.
“I urge citizens to continue to be vigilant. Together, we will also be able to defeat this enemy,” Bennett added.
“The heart is broken by the deaths of Border Police officers Yezen Falah and Shirel Abukarat, who fell while protecting civilians with their bodies from vile murderers. We will not forget their heroism. I wish a complete recovery to the wounded and send my deepest condolences to the families,” he said.
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