One person was killed and more than 30 others were wounded on Sunday in a suspected terrorist attack near Glilot, north of Tel Aviv in central Israel.
According to initial reports, a truck rammed into a large group of people standing at a bus stop. The Magen David Adom emergency service reported that medical personnel were treating multiple people at the scene, some of whom were trapped.
Thirty-one people were evacuated to Beilinson and Ichilov hospitals, according to MDA, including six in serious condition, five in moderate condition and 20 in mild condition. Additionally, four people were treated for anxiety.
MDA EMTs and Paramedics are treating and evacuating 10 injured people to Beilinson and Ichilov hospitals. Among the injured: 4 in serious condition, 2 in moderate condition, and 4 in mild condition. MDA teams are also treating multiple other casualties on-site. Updates to follow. pic.twitter.com/nGGv5Q3AcN
— Magen David Adom (@Mdais) October 27, 2024
Home Front Command rescue teams were deployed to help free victims trapped under the truck.
In the afternoon, Ichilov Medical Center announced that one of the ramming attack victims succumbed to his wounds.
Beilinson Hospital earlier updated that eight injured arrived at the medical center, including three in serious condition and five in mild condition.
MDA’s Blood Services provided 90 units of blood to the hospitals.
According to reports, a significant number of the victims were retirees who had just gotten off an intercity tourist coach at the bus stop, preparing for a visit to a nearby museum.
A large police force was converging on the scene, and it was reported that authorities believe it was a terror attack. According to initial reports, the driver exited the truck outside a sensitive security base in Glilot with a knife and was shot by armed bystanders.
Police sources told Channel 12 that the suspect is an Israeli resident of the Arab-Muslim city of Qalansawe in central Israel.
זירת האירוע בגלילות >>> pic.twitter.com/z8yqwrjedS
— משטרת ישראל (@IL_police) October 27, 2024
Highway 5 westbound was closed to traffic at the Kfar HaYarok interchange, police said, and drivers were asked to use alternate routes and to avoid the area.
The Glilot area is home to Mossad headquarters and several IDF intelligence units, including the elite Unit 8200, which Hezbollah has targeted several times over the past year.
Israel is also holding a national day of mourning for the victims of the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023, and there were reportedly fears that terrorists could take advantage of the date.
