A 70-year-old man was killed and four others wounded in a stabbing attack at the Marine Center in Haifa on the morning of March 3, Israeli authorities reported.
The assailant, identified as an "Arab Israeli" citizen believed to be from Shfaram, was “neutralised and eliminated” at the scene, The Jerusalem Post reported.
An Arab-Israeli is the official Israeli definition for Palestinians who remained in Israel following the creation of the country and accepted the new Jewish-led state. The group makes up about 20% of Israel's population. Since the first Knesset elections in 1949, Arab citizens have served as members of the Israeli parliament.
Among the injured were a man and woman, both approximately 30 years old, and a 15-year-old boy, all in serious condition, according to Israeli national ambulance service Magen David Adom (MDA). A 70-year-old woman sustained moderate injuries in the attack.
“There is one terrorist who was eliminated - and he was eliminated by civilians working with the police,” Police Commissioner Lt. Col. Danny Levy stated during an on-site assessment as quoted by Israel’s N12. “There were a number of injured people at the scene to varying degrees. We are conducting scans and examinations to verify that the eliminated terrorist is the only one.”
Authorities quickly classified the incident as a nationalist attack following initial investigations. The assailant reportedly arrived at the central bus station in Haifa in the morning with the intent to carry out the assault, with emergency services receiving reports of casualties at 09:53, as cited by N12.
Police forces from the Coastal District were deployed to secure the area and search for potential accomplices, with helicopters providing aerial surveillance.
The Haifa Municipality announced increased security measures at educational institutions throughout the city in response to the attack.
The wounded victims were evacuated to Rambam Hospital for treatment as the investigation continues.
