A truck driver intentionally rammed his vehicle into a crowd waiting at a bus stop in central Israel on Sunday, injuring at least 29 people, according to police and medical officials. The incident occurred on Ahron Yariv Boulevard in Ramat Hasharon, close to the bustling commercial area of Tel Aviv.
Preliminary police findings revealed that the truck also collided with a bus that was stopped at the same location to drop off passengers. Emergency service provider Magen David Adom reported that six individuals sustained serious injuries among the total injured.
While police have not confirmed the incident as a terrorist attack, they stated that civilians at the scene “shot the truck driver and neutralised him.” Paramedic Elior Yosef, who was among the first responders, recounted witnessing eight people trapped under the truck. “A number of further casualties were either lying or walking near the truck,” he added.
First responders, including police and ambulances, quickly arrived at the site, where journalists observed the area cordoned off as medics assisted the injured. A helicopter hovered above the scene during the response.
The Palestinian militant group Hamas claimed responsibility for what they termed a “heroic ramming attack,” stating it was a response to “crimes committed by the Zionist occupation” against Palestinians.
In a separate incident near Jerusalem, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a man who attempted to stab them during a counterterrorism operation in Hizma. The military described the incident as a “terror attack,” stating that the assailant accelerated his vehicle toward the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers and pulled out a knife in an attempt to carry out the attack. Fortunately, no soldiers were injured in this incident.
Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza on October 7, 2023, there have been numerous attacks in Israel attributed to Palestinian militants. According to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures, at least 30 people, including Israeli soldiers, have been killed in such attacks since the onset of hostilities.
The incidents occurred on a day when Israel was holding ceremonies to mark the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack, which ignited the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. As tensions continue to rise in the region, authorities remain on high alert to prevent further violence.