2 Israelis injured in Jerusalem Hills stabbing attack, terrorist yelled, ‘I want to die’

The terrorist, who was from Shuafat refugee camp, had been employed at the hotel for about four months.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Two Israeli men were wounded Friday in a stabbing attack at a hotel dining room in Kibbutz Tzuba, located in the Jerusalem Hills.

Magen David Adom said a 58-year-old man was seriously injured with a chest wound and a 25-year-old man was moderately hurt.

Both were transported to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital after receiving emergency treatment at the scene.

The assailant was identified as a 42-year-old resident of the Shuafat refugee camp in East Jerusalem with a history of criminal and security offenses.

He had been employed at the hotel for about four months.

According to witnesses, the attacker shouted “Allahu akbar” before stabbing guests. Police later reported that he told those nearby he “wanted to die.”

The attack ended when an off-duty police officer from the Negev Central Unit, who was vacationing at the hotel, subdued the assailant and arrested him.

The officer, who is related to one of the victims, recounted that he acted without drawing his weapon, physically tackling the attacker until other security personnel arrived.

Eyewitnesses described chaos inside the dining hall. One hotel guest told Arutz Sheva: “We were sitting to eat, and suddenly there was a commotion. We saw someone holding a knife about to enter the balcony where we were, and an Arab employee, the dining room manager, caught him and saved us.”

Emergency responders detailed their efforts to stabilize the wounded. Paramedic Roi Ben Shoham said his team treated the younger victim outside the hotel before locating the older man inside. “We stopped the bleeding and gave him medication before evacuating him in serious condition,” he said.

Police units from the Mateh Yehuda station and Border Police reinforcements secured the area after the incident. Authorities said the assailant, who had previously been convicted of stone-throwing, is now in custody.