An Israeli police official told Fox News that Palestinians were celebrating the terrorist attack that left four dead in central Tel Aviv Wednesday night.
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The two Palestinians were identified as Khaled Mohammad Makhamrah, 22, and his cousin Mohamad Ahmad Makhamrah, 21, both from the town of Yatta near the flashpoint city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank.
Rosenfeld told Fox News that one of the suspects was shot by police and the other was captured by authorities.
Police had initially said there might be a third attacker but ruled that out after extensive searches and examining security camera footage.
Spokeswoman Luba Samri says there were reports of shooting in two locations close to the popular open air Sharona market on Wednesday night. The complex is across the street from Israel’s military headquarters and is often filled with tourists and young soldiers in uniform.
Meital Gonen, who manages a clothing shop at the market, said more than 10 people took cover in the store after shots began ringing out. Palestinian officials say more than 200 Palestinians-mostly alleged attackers-have been killed by Israeli security forces during the same period. In March, an American combat veteran was killed after being stabbed by a Palestinian assailant going on a violent rampage near Tel Aviv.
The attacks happened at around 21:30 (local time) as people were relaxing in the market’s restaurants and bars. “We are still in the middle of an ongoing event I urge everyone to listen to the police today and stay out of danger”, said Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai from Ichilov Hospital.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke during a visit to the scene of a shooting incident in Tel Aviv on January 2. The victims were lightly wounded, the police said.
In addition, the military said it had frozen Israeli work permits for 204 of the attackers’ relatives, and was preventing Palestinians from leaving and entering the West Bank village of Yatta, the attackers’ home village. Another two women who were lightly wounded have been released from hospital.
An Israeli policewoman (right) interviews a witness at the site of a shooting attack in Tel Aviv. “We will locate anyone who cooperated with this attack and we will act firmly and intelligently to fight terrorism”.
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The U.S. State Department condemned the terrorist attack “in the strongest possible terms”.
