Israeli soldier killed in mall knife attack

One Israeli soldier was killed and another severely injured in a suspected terror stabbing attacked at a mall in the northern part of the country, local authorities have said. The assailant, who was identified as a resident of an Arab-majority town, was killed at the scene.

Israeli soldier killed in mall knife attack - Play Video 📹 I96KXVI1Zxsp_NS6

Israeli police said on Wednesday that the incident occurred in a shopping mall in the city of Karmiel, initially saying that the two soldiers had been injured. Later, however, one of them was pronounced dead, with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) identifying the deceased as 19-year-old Sergeant Alexander Yakiminski.

Law enforcement later identified the suspect as 21-year-old Jawwad Omar Rubia, a Palestinian from the Arab town of Nahf, located not far from Karmiel. Several Israeli and Palestinian media reported that the Israeli police arrested several members of his family.

Footage circulating on social media shows two Israeli soldiers walking together in a shopping mall when they are attacked by a knife-wielding man from behind. The robber stabs the first soldier three times and then fights the second soldier. The first soldier lying on the ground managed to get his weapon and fire several shots at the suspect.

Another video, taken later, shows the soldier's body lying on the ground with blood on the floor as an unidentified man tries to save him. he. While no group claimed responsibility for the attack, Palestinian Islamic Jihad said it was a "heroic act" while Hamas said it was a "natural response" to Israeli military operations in Gaza.Tensions between Israel and the Arabs have escalated since Hamas launched a surprise attack on the Jewish state in October, following a major military offensive in the Palestinian territory of Jerusalem against the west So far the attacks have killed 1,400 Israelis and 37,000 Palestinians and destroyed the past in Gaza.