Nine people were wounded in a shooting at a bus near Ariel in the West Bank, Magen David Adom (MDA) announced on Friday.
One person was in critical condition, the Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus in Petah Tikva said later on Friday.
Earlier, MDA said it transferred three people to the hospital in serious condition, one in moderate condition, and the rest in light condition.
Terrorist apprehended
The military said IDF troops thwarted the terrorists. In addition, forces were positioning roadblocks and searching the area.
Army radio reported that the IDF has begun the pursuit of a second terrorist involved in the attack. However, the military later clarified that following searches it had conducted, it had ruled out the involvement of a second terrorist.
Later on Friday, Israeli media reports identified the terrorist to be 46-years-old Samer Hussain from the village of Einabus in the Nablus area of the West Bank.
MDA team member bears witness
MDA EMT Itamar Hakhamov recounted what he saw upon arrival at the scene. “We arrived at the scene with large forces and saw three injured individuals lying near the bus, fully conscious and suffering from gunshot wounds.
“We immediately provided them with initial medical treatment at the scene, which included stopping the bleeding and bandaging, and evacuated them by MDA mobile intensive care units to the hospital in stable condition. Additionally, other MDA teams treated several casualties who suffered from glass shrapnel wounds and evacuated them to the hospital in mild condition,” he added.
Regional council head Yossi Dagan said that this attack represents “a significant escalation in the Palestinian Authority’s war of terror, which funds both Fatah and Hamas terrorists.”
“The fact that the terrorist was able to reach a major road in Samaria with a vehicle and carry out a shooting attack as if he were grabbing an espresso in central Tel Aviv is inconceivable,” he continued.
He concluded his statement by demanding “decisive action now!”
