Italian tourist killed, 7 others injured in car-ramming terror attack in Tel Aviv

The U.S. State Department condemned the attack, as did U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides.

By World Israel News Staff

An Italian tourist was killed and seven other tourists were wounded on Friday night in a terror attack in Tel Aviv.

The terrorist, identified as Arab Israeli Yousef Abu Jaber, 45, from Kafr Qassem, carried out a car-ramming attack on a seaside promenade, before appearing to access a weapon in the front seat.

Italian lawyer Alessandro Parini, 35, who had arrived in the country a day earlier was killed in the attack. The other victims were visiting Israel from Italy and the United Kingdom. Three were being treated in Ichilov hospital with light injuries.

“Deep sorrow and condolences following the death of Alessandro Parini in a terror attack this evening in Tel Aviv,” said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. “Condolences to his family, to the other wounded, and solidarity with the State of Israel for the cowardly attack.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen sent his condolences to the family of the victim and the people of Italy.

“On behalf of the government and the people of Israel, I send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Alessandro Farini, the Italian citizen who was murdered in yesterday’s terror attack in Tel Aviv, and to the government and the people of Italy,” he wrote on Twitter.

The U.S. State Department also condemned the attack, as did U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides.

“Just visited the site of last night’s terror attack. My heart goes out to the victim’s family back home,” Nides wrote on Twitter. “Praying for a speedy recovery for all those injured.”

The terrorist had worked at a janitor at a school near Tel Aviv until a year ago. Staff at the school said they were shocked that he was capable of carrying out such an attack. Some of them had been to his home in Kfar Qassem at his invitation.

The attack came hours after a Palestinian terrorist shot two Israeli sisters and their mother in the Jordan Valley. The sisters, identified on Saturday as Maya and Dina Ree, were killed immediately while their mother, 48, was hospitalized in life-threatening condition.

Terrorists in the Gaza Strip launched 44 missiles into Israel overnight Thursday, prompting retaliatory strikes in the Hamas-ruled enclave.

Hamas factions in Lebanon fired 34 rockets into northern Israel earlier on Thursday.