Deadly Stabbing and Car-Ramming Incident in Northern Israel
Published On 26 Dec 2025
Two individuals tragically lost their lives in a violent stabbing and car-ramming incident in northern Israel, according to official reports. This recent escalation in violence has drawn sharp attention to ongoing tensions in the region.
Emergency responders and Israeli police reported that a Palestinian man, originating from the Israeli-occupied West Bank, carried out the assault on a Friday. The attacker killed both a man and a woman before he was shot and apprehended.
Details of the Attack
This brutal incident occurred just one day after an Israeli military reservist, dressed in civilian attire, rammed his vehicle into a Palestinian man praying on the roadside in the West Bank. The reservist had also opened fire in the vicinity earlier on Thursday, raising concerns about the safety of Palestinians in the area.
An Israeli military statement mentioned that they had received footage showing the reservist’s attack. Following the incident, the individual’s military service was terminated. Fortunately, the Palestinian man who was struck has since been released from the hospital after receiving treatment.
The Incident on Friday
On Friday, the attacker launched his assault by driving his car into pedestrians in the northern city of Beisan (Beit Shean), resulting in the death of a 68-year-old man. The assailant then sped onto a highway where he fatally stabbed a 20-year-old woman.
The situation escalated further when police intervened after a civilian bystander engaged with the attacker near Maonot Junction in Afula, ultimately leading to him being shot and injured. He was subsequently taken to a hospital for treatment.
Casualties and Ongoing Tensions
Paramedics pronounced both victims dead at the scene. Additionally, a teenage boy sustained minor injuries during the car-ramming incident, as reported by witnesses.
According to the Israeli military, the attacker had entered Israeli territory several days prior to the incident. This event follows a tragic series of escalated violence in the region. Since the onset of conflict in Gaza in October 2023, countless Palestinian lives have been lost.
Simultaneously, violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank has surged, characterized by land seizures and harassment of civilians, while Israeli forces continue regular raids and arrests. The United Nations reports that over 1,000 Palestinians have died in the West Bank since the conflict escalated on October 7, 2023, with 57 Israelis having lost their lives to Palestinian attacks during the same time frame.
Following Friday’s attack, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that he has instructed military forces to respond assertively in Qabatiya, the town of origin for the assailant. The military has indicated that preparations for operations in the area are underway.
- Two victims were killed in a recent stabbing and car-ramming attack in northern Israel.
- The assailant was shot after fleeing the scene but had committed the acts shortly after another violent incident involving an Israeli reservist.
- Ongoing tensions have led to significant casualties in both the West Bank and Gaza.
- Israeli defense forces are preparing for a response in the assailant’s hometown.