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Five Wounded in Shooting, Stabbing Attack

CBN

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JERUSALEM, Israel – An 18-year-old Palestinian Arab from Nablus (biblical Shechem) opened fire at Israelis shopping at an outdoor market in Petah Tikva.

The market was reportedly crowded, maybe even more than usual because the holiday of Tu B'Shevat, similar to Arbor Day in the U.S., coincides with the weekly Sabbath this year.

Early reports alleged it was unclear whether the attack was criminally or nationalistically motivated.

But police soon realized it was a terror attack. The shooter reportedly opened fire at people in the market and others at a nearby bus station as he ran down the street.

Several passersby tried unsuccessfully to stop him. Not until his gun jammed and he began trying to stab people in front of a sewing shop that someone clobbered him with a sewing machine, stopping him until police arrived.

Five people were wounded in the attack. Three sustained bullet wounds, one man was stabbed in his neck, and another wounded in the head. Three people were treated for shock.

The shooter is in custody.

Hamas, the Palestinian faction controlling the Gaza Strip, called it a "natural response" to Israeli "crimes."

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