Israeli killed, six injured in terror attack near Modi’in

An off-duty Israeli soldier was killed and six other persons, including civilians, were wounded on Thursday morning when a Palestinian terrorist drove into them with a truck at the Maccabim Crossing along Route 443, close to the central city of Modi’in.

Four soldiers, all in their 20s, were treated by Magen David Adom emergency medical personnel before being evacuated to the hospital. The off-duty soldier was in critical condition and later succumbed to his wounds; another one was seriously hurt and the two others suffered minor injuries.

A Palestinian teenager was also lightly injured and an Israeli couple in their 20s sustained mild injuries when their car was struck by the terrorist, according to MDA.

The terrorist fled the scene but was tracked down and neutralized at the Hashmonaim Crossing some 10 kilometers (6 miles) away, according to the Israel Police.

The Defense Ministry said its security guards operating the Hashmonaim checkpoint received a description of the terrorist’s truck from the IDF moments after the attack, and subsequently opened fire at the vehicle after identifying the assailant.

Israel Police Deputy Commissioner Avi Biton said the terrorist was a 41-year-old Palestinian who was known to security forces and had a work permit to enter Israel.

He was later identified as Daoud Abdel Razeq Fayez from the Palestinian village of Deir Ammar, near Ramallah.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was receiving updates on the attack, according to his office.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was set to hold an assessment with security brass later Thursday.

“This is an attack with serious consequences; [my] full appreciation to the security forces for their resolute action that quickly led to the elimination of the terrorist,” Gallant said in a statement.

Said Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich: “The serious results of this attack demonstrate the importance of [security] barriers. … Under no circumstances are we prepared to accept terrorism as unavoidable. There is incitement at play and the Palestinian Authority bears responsibility for this.”

Overnight Wednesday, an Israeli officer and three soldiers were wounded during an operation to secure entry for civilians to the Joseph’s Tomb compound in Shechem (Nablus).

An improvised explosive device was set off as the soldiers passed by.

The wounded soldiers were evacuated to Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah. The officer and two of the soldiers were lightly wounded, and another fighter was in moderate condition, the IDF said.

Nablus Battalion, part of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, reportedly claimed responsibility.

Hours earlier, an Israeli man was moderately wounded in a stabbing at the Shivtei Yisrael light-rail stop outside Jerusalem’s Old City.

The alleged assailant, identified by local media as a 14-year-old Arab resident of Beit Hanina in northern Jerusalem, was shot and killed by a Border Policeman who witnessed the attack.

Separately on Wednesday evening, two Israeli bus drivers were lightly injured when their vehicles were stoned by Palestinians on a highway in western Samaria.

The attacks occurred on Route 55 near the Arab village of Nabi Ilyas, located close to the Israeli community of Alfei Menashe.

One of the drivers was wounded in the eyes by shrapnel, while the other suffered a shoulder injury, according to Rescuers Without Borders (Hatzalah Judea and Samaria). Both were evacuated to Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba.

Earlier Wednesday, an Israel Defense Forces soldier was lightly injured when a Palestinian terrorist drove his car into a military post near Beit Hagai, close to Hebron in Judea.