Two Palestinian gunmen opened fire in Tel Aviv’s Sarona Market on Wednesday night at 9:30, killing four people and injuring many more at a café there. Five people are in serious condition, Fire said.
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The shooting broke out at one of Tel Aviv’s most popular outdoor markets, Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said in a statement.
The terrorists were identified as Khaled Muhammed Musa Mkhamra and Muhammed Ahmed Mkhamra, two cousins from the Palestinian village of Yatta just south of Hebron.
The attack occured in an area adjacent to Israel’s army and Ministry of Defence headquarters, Ynet reported.
Although details were sparse it appears shots were initially fired at people walking in the street near a restaurant and then in an adjoining street.
The Sarona Market contains Israel’s largest indoor food market, with 91 shops in 8,700 square meters (93,000 square feet) of market space.
Both are Palestinians in their 20s. Two attackers have been captured and are in custody, with one of them in the hospital, but many questions remain.
Since October, violence related to the Middle East conflict has killed 207 Palestinians, 28 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese.
Commander Edry also exposes the fact that Israeli security forces did not detect the news running through the social networks since Wednesday morning, claiming that an armed terrorist squad has reached Tel Aviv with the intent to carry out a terror attack.
Shooting attacks such as the one that occurred Wednesday night have been rare, though Tel Aviv has seen two other major incidents in recent months.
Meital Gonen, who manages a nearby clothing store, said victims sought shelter with her amid the gunfire.
The dead are Israelis, Rosenfeld said on Twitter.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to Israel from a trip to Moscow soon after the shootings, which he called “cold-blooded murder”. Others were killed in clashes and protests.
Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai went to the Ichilov Hospital following the shooting, saying his city would “continue with our lives”. “Leaders must stand against violence and the incitement that fuels it, not condone it”.
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About 200 Palestinians have been killed during that time.
