/ Go to the mediabankEmbassy of Israel suspends work as diplomats go on strike / Go to the mediabankInternationalIndiaAfricaBeing updatedTEL AVIV (Sputnik) – Three people were injured in a shooting on Dizengoff Street in central Tel Aviv on Thursday night, Israeli portal Ynet reported. According to the publication, all of them were taken to Ichilov hospital, one of those wounded is in critical condition, while the other two are said to be in moderate and light condition, respectively. The victims were reportedly all men in their 20s.The circumstances of the incident are being investigated. According to The Jerusalem Post, video from the attack appear to show one shooter being shot and a suspected second shooter escaping. Israeli police say they are conducting a manhunt for the second suspect.While the first victim was being treated, more shots were heard from a location in a different area of Dizengoff street, a first responder told a local news outlet.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently in Italy, confirmed the attack on Twitter, offering prayers for the wounded. Netanyahu reportedly said he will not shorten his trip because of the attack.
"I am sure that these things will not weaken our determination to continue building our country, to plant deep roots in our homeland and to secure our common future," Netanyahu said.
Israeli Defense Forces spokesman Avi Mayer said, citing Israeli news outlet Walla, that the shooter’s gun jammed while he was shooting at civilians. Mayer adds that an IDF soldier “rushed down from his apartment” and shot the attacker who then died. Joe Truzman, a research analyst for the Foundation of Defence of Democracies think tank, posted video from above the street shortly after the attack.
Scene from the Tel Aviv terror attack that happened a short while ago. pic.twitter.com/E3VSCCMw3A
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) March 9, 2023
The attack came while widespread protests against the government’s planned judicial reforms which would greatly reduce the power of the country’s Supreme Court. Due to the attack, Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai requested that anti-government protesters “go home” while police work to secure the area.There has been a rise of violence in occupied West Bank recently, with videos of Israeli settlers attacking and setting fire to Palestinian homes. It is unknown if those events motivated the attacker, who has not been identified, or if he had ties to any Palestinian groups.However, According to the Jerusalem Post, Hamas has taken credit for the attack. “The shooting terror attack in Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv is an initial response to the crimes of the occupation, the last of which was the murder of three young people this morning,” Hamas Spokesman Abd al-Latif al-Kanua reportedly said.An Israeli journalist, Ben Menachem, posted video that seems to be of the moment the shooter was killed. The video, which may be disturbing for some viewers, was shot from a balcony above the street.
פיגוע ירי ברחוב דיזינגוף בתל אביב- 3 נפגעים pic.twitter.com/DDe2UoorOS
— יוני בן מנחם yoni ben menachem (@yonibmen) March 9, 2023
Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, said on Twitter that the IDF soldier who killed the shooter was an Israeli Border Guard, though Israel 24 News described the soldier as a “special forces police officer.” MORE DETAILS TO COME.
