On December 27, 2025, Israeli police reported a car ramming and knife attack in the Beit She’an area in northern Israel on Friday, December 26, resulting in the deaths of two people and injuries to six others.
The Israeli emergency services stated that these incidents occurred at three different locations. A woman was fatally stabbed, another person died after being hit by a car, and the remaining six people were injured.
Authorities said the suspect is a Palestinian from the West Bank region. He first struck down a 68-year-old Israeli pedestrian in Beit She’an and then stabbed a 17-year-old Israeli girl near ‘Ein Harod’. Police believe these were consecutive “terror attacks”. The Israeli emergency organization MDA reported that a 16-year-old boy was also injured in the attack.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later confirmed the identities of the deceased as Shimshon Mordechai, 68, and Aviv Maor, 17.
An Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson stated that preliminary investigations revealed that “the terrorist is an illegal resident who infiltrated into Israel a few days ago.” The attacker was eventually subdued by a civilian bystander in the nearby city of Afula and taken to the hospital with moderate injuries.
According to Al-Jazeera reporters, the assailant is a young Palestinian man.
Israeli police mentioned that the investigation into the three sites is still ongoing.
Shortly after the incident, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered a military operation in the West Bank town of Qabatiya, the suspect’s hometown near Jenin. Katz declared that he had instructed the IDF to “take immediate and forceful action, locate, and thwart all terrorists and their infrastructure in the town.” He added that “anyone aiding terrorism or providing funds and support to terrorism will pay the full price.”
The Israeli Defense Forces stated that under Katz’s orders, more forces are preparing to enter Qabatiya.