The Magen David Adom (MDA) ambulance service evacuated six stabbing victims to Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera on Wednesday, after attacks at three separate locations in the city.
Two of the victims are in critical condition, three are in serious condition, and one is in moderate condition, according to hospital officials.
Armed civilians and security forces neutralize suspected stabber
Initially, police indicated the attacks were not believed to be nationalistically motivated, but later confirmed at the scene that it was a terror attack after neutralizing the assailant.
The stabbings occurred at multiple sites across Hadera, with the first attack reported by MDA involving three victims. Shortly afterward, two more were found injured on Herzl Street, and a sixth victim was discovered later.
The suspect initially attempted to flee but was eventually apprehended by a large police force and armed civilians. After failing to comply with orders to lie down, despite being armed and wearing a helmet, he was shot in the leg and neutralized.
Hadera Mayor Nir Ben Haim has instructed the city's security teams to increase patrols and assist law enforcement, while ordering schools and kindergartens to remain locked down until the situation is fully under control.
MDA paramedics treated and evacuated the victims, including two men in their 30s and 50s, both in serious condition, and a 70-year-old man in moderate condition. Additional injuries were reported shortly later. All six injured were transported to Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera for further treatment.
MDA senior paramedic Vicky Kelly described the event as a "complex incident spanning multiple locations," and added, "We deployed a large number of MDA units, scanned the reported scenes, and provided life-saving treatment before transporting the injured to the hospital."
Security forces have been on high alert during the holiday season, with tensions heightened by the ongoing war and the recent one-year commemoration of the October 7 massacre.
Authorities had previously warned of an increased risk of attacks around this period, with Simchat Torah, which marks the Hebrew anniversary of Hamas’ attack, being identified as a potential flashpoint.
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