A Palestinian man has stabbed nineteen people on a bus in central Tel Aviv on Wednesday.
Four were seriously wounded before the man was shot and arrested by Israeli police.
The incident has has been praised by Hamas.
The attacker has been identified as 23-year-old Hamza Matrouka, Palestinian from the West Bank. Matrouka admitted to entering Israel illegally.
The attacker began stabbing bus passengers and the driver with a large knife before managing to exit the bus and flee the scene.
Nearby officers who witnessed the bus swerving chased the man and slowed him by shooting him in the leg before arresting him.
Suspect stabbed a passengers on a bus in central Tel aviv. Police units arrive at scene & shot the suspect near area. Suspect Terror attack
— Micky Rosenfeld (@MickyRosenfeld) January 21, 2015
“We believe it was a terror attack,” police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. The attack comes after several other “lone-wolf” have tried Israel in recent months, in which Palestinians have used acid, knives, or cars. Following the attack, Israeli police has raised its terror alert level nationwide.
Police forensics on the bus in central tel aviv after terrorist attack by Palestinian from Tulkarem pic.twitter.com/9wAV8bDowp — Micky Rosenfeld (@MickyRosenfeld) January 21, 2015
Featured image: Ben L. Hartman
