Three people were shot and wounded in a terrorist shooting near a cafe in central Tel Aviv on Thursday night. The shooter was later identified as 23-year-old Mutaz Salah al-Khawaja, a Palestinian from the West Bank town of Ni’lin, who had been twice jailed in Israel. In graphic footage from the moment of the attack, a man in a black jacket can be seen walking briskly behind a group of three men before pulling out a pistol and opening fire at them from point-blank range. He then fled the scene while shooting at other people in the area, before being shot dead in a shootout with police officers a short time later. One victim was listed in critical but stable condition after undergoing surgery, the other two were listed in serious and moderate condition. In a statement, Hamas said the attack came as a “natural response” to recent deadly Israeli military raids in the West Bank. The attack served to ratchet up already high tensions between Israel and Palestinians, with the IDF conducting near-nightly raids in the West Bank amid a series of deadly Palestinian terror attacks. Those tensions have ramped up even further in recent weeks amid a cycle of Israeli raids and Palestinian revenge attacks, as well as an uptick in settler violence.
The Attack
The shooting took place near a cafe in central Tel Aviv on Thursday night when a Palestinian attacker opened fire on a group of people outside. The attacker, later identified as Mutaz Salah al-Khawaja, fled the scene, shooting at other people in the area. He was shot dead in a shootout with police officers a short time later. Three people were wounded in the attack, including one person who was critically injured. The other two were listed in serious and moderate condition.
The Response
The attack served to ratchet up already high tensions between Israel and Palestinians. The IDF has been conducting near-nightly raids in the West Bank amid a series of deadly Palestinian terror attacks. Those tensions have ramped up even further in recent weeks amid a cycle of Israeli raids and Palestinian revenge attacks, as well as an uptick in settler violence. In a statement, Hamas said the attack came as a “natural response” to recent deadly Israeli military raids in the West Bank.
The Aftermath
The attack shook Tel Aviv at the tail end of a tumultuous day that saw masses of Israelis throughout the country engage in protests against the government’s plans to weaken the judiciary, and as protest marches and events were ongoing in multiple locations in the city. Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai called on anti-government protesters to clear the streets in order to allow police to secure the area. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is visiting Italy, was updated about the shooting while attending an event at the Spanish Synagogue in Rome. He sent his prayers to those wounded and praised the security forces operating in the area. Netanyahu later participated by phone in a security consultation. President Isaac Herzog said he was praying for the health of those hurt in the attack.
