Two killed in suspected Palestinian ramming and knife attack in Israel

Sunday, December 28, 2025 -In a deadly incident on December 26, 2025, two civilians were killed in a suspected Palestinian ramming and knife attack in northern Israel, according to Israeli authorities. The assailant, identified as a Palestinian man from the West Bank, first ran over a man in Beit Shean and later stabbed a woman near Ein Harod, resulting in both victims’ deaths.

Emergency services confirmed that a teenager was also lightly injured during the incident, which unfolded rapidly across several locations. Police described the assault as a “rolling terror attack” that spanned key points in the region before it was brought to an end.

At the scene, the attacker was shot and wounded by a civilian and taken to a nearby hospital, where he remains under guard. Israeli officials said the vehicle used in the attack was reportedly driven into pedestrians before the stabbing portion of the assault, underscoring the chaotic nature of the event. 

The victims were later identified by local sources as Aviv Maor, 18, and Shimshon Mordechai, 68, reflecting the wide age range of those affected.

In response to the attack, Israel’s Defence Minister ordered military action in the attacker’s hometown of Qabatiya in the occupied West Bank, aimed at dismantling militant infrastructure and deterring future violence, though such measures have faced criticism from rights groups as collective punishment. 

The attack has once again heightened security concerns amid ongoing tensions linked to the wider Israel‑Gaza conflict and rising violence across the region, prompting calls for increased vigilance and protective measures in border and civilian areas.