Emergency services said that three Israelis were murdered and three others wounded in a stabbing attack on Tuesday near the gas station in the industrial area of the city of Ariel.
The officials said the alleged assailant was neutralized. According to Palestinian reports, the suspected terrorist was 18-year-old Muhammad Murad Sof from the West Bank. The suspected is said to have held an Israeli work permit and was employed at a local factory.
The Magen David Adom national emergency services said they received an initial report about the attack at 9:28am.
The paramedics said they provided treatment on the scene to several victims, including a man in his 40s in critical condition, a man in his 40s in serious condition, and a man in his 30s in a moderate condition.
The medical teams evacuated three of the victims to Beilinson Hospital in the Israeli central city of Petah Tikva.
The suspected terrorist apparently first stabbed a security guard at the entrance to the gas station in the city, then entered the premises and attacked four more people with a knife.
After stabbing the three, the terrorist fled on a vehicle toward Highway 5, where he wounded another person by running him over. Shortly after, a military force and security guards stopped his spree and neutralized him by firing at his direction.
An employee at the gas station said: "The refueler who was at the station entered the store and shouted 'attack, attack'. I went outside and saw the terrorist with the knife, running through the station after stabbing several people."
Prime Minister Yair Lapid sent his condolences to the families of the victims and wished for a speedy recovery "We are fighting terrorism relentlessly and with full force. We have recently succeeded in dismantling wide terror infrastructures, but we have to wage this war everyday anew."
Yossi Dagan, the head of the Shomron Regional Council, said the attack was a result of "the deterioration in security and negligence of the outgoing government."
"We need to act militarily against the Palestinian Authority and restore deterrence. If not, this wave of terror will get worse."
First published: 10:02, 11.15.22