What's happened
On December 26, 2025, a Palestinian from the West Bank carried out a vehicle-ramming and stabbing attack in northern Israel, killing a 68-year-old man and a 19-20-year-old woman. The attacker was shot and wounded by a civilian and hospitalized. The Israeli military is preparing an operation in the attacker’s hometown of Qabatiya amid ongoing regional violence.
What's behind the headline?
Context of Escalating Violence
This attack is part of a broader pattern of escalating violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and northern Israel, reflecting deepening hostilities since the Gaza war began in October 2023. The assailant’s use of a vehicle and stabbing in a "rolling terror attack" demonstrates a tactic increasingly employed by militants to inflict casualties and sow fear.
Military and Political Response
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz’s directive for a forceful military response in Qabatiya signals an intent to deter further attacks through aggressive operations. This approach risks exacerbating tensions and potentially fueling cycles of retaliation, given the history of military raids and settler violence in the region.
Civilian Involvement and Security Dynamics
The attacker was neutralized by a civilian, highlighting the volatile security environment where civilians often intervene. The incident also follows a separate event where an Israeli reservist deliberately rammed a Palestinian man praying roadside, underscoring the mutual violence and breakdown of law enforcement norms.
Forecast and Consequences
The military’s preparation for operations in Qabatiya will likely lead to increased raids and restrictions, further destabilizing the area. The ongoing violence will continue to impact daily life for Palestinians and Israelis alike, with little immediate prospect for de-escalation absent political breakthroughs. International attention may focus on the humanitarian consequences and calls for restraint.
Relevance to Readers
For readers, this story illustrates the persistent volatility in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the human cost of ongoing hostilities. It underscores the challenges of security, governance, and peace efforts in a deeply divided region.
What the papers say
The Times of Israel provides a detailed timeline of the attack, identifying the assailant as Ahmed al-Rub from Qabatiya and describing the sequence of events from the vehicle ramming in Beit Shean to the stabbing near Ein Harod, followed by his capture after being shot by a civilian. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz’s call for a forceful military response is highlighted, emphasizing the government's stance (The Times of Israel).
Al Jazeera and SBS emphasize the broader context of violence, noting the surge in Israeli settler attacks and military operations in the West Bank alongside the Gaza war, with UN data cited on casualties since October 2023. Al Jazeera also reports on the previous day’s incident where an Israeli reservist rammed a Palestinian man praying, framing it within the pattern of Israeli violence against Palestinians (Al Jazeera, SBS).
Reuters and France 24 focus on the immediate facts of the attack, confirming the deaths and injuries, and the attacker’s West Bank origin. Reuters also reports on the reservist’s military service termination and house arrest following the ramming incident, highlighting the rare disciplinary action (Reuters).
The New Arab and Reuters provide critical perspectives on Israeli settler violence and military actions, noting the high number of Palestinian casualties and injuries in the West Bank, and the limited accountability for Israeli perpetrators (The New Arab, Reuters).
Together, these sources offer a comprehensive view of the attack’s details, the political and military responses, and the wider context of escalating violence in the region.
How we got here
The attack occurred amid heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions following a prolonged Israeli military crackdown in the West Bank and a devastating war in Gaza since October 2023. Violence has surged, with over 1,000 Palestinians and 57 Israelis killed in the West Bank since late 2023, involving both militant attacks and settler violence.
Go deeper
- What is the background of the attacker from Qabatiya?
- How is the Israeli military responding to this attack?
- What is the current situation in the West Bank and Gaza?
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More on these topics
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Israel Katz is an Israeli politician who currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Likud and Minister of Finance. He has previously held the posts of Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Transportation, Minister of Intelligence and Minister of Forei
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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The West Bank is a landlocked territory near the Mediterranean coast of Western Asia, bordered by Jordan to the east and by Israel to the south, west and north. The West Bank also contains a significant section of the western Dead Sea shore.