(A7) One person was killed and five people were injured in three separate shooting incidents in the Kochav Yair and Tzur Yitzhak area, apparently in criminally motivated attacks.
The first incident occurred at a gas station near Kochav Yair, where two men in their 30s were shot. Magen David Adom teams who arrived at the scene provided medical treatment to the victims.
A few minutes later, a second report was received of a shooting targeting a 31-year-old man in Tzur Yitzhak. MDA paramedics treated the victim and evacuated him in moderate condition to Beilinson Hospital. Police believe the incidents may be connected.
MDA Paramedic Lior Zilberberg said: “We received reports at MDA’s 101 Emergency Dispatch Center regarding several casualties at different scenes, including reports of people injured in a shooting. At the scene at a gas station near Kokhav Yair, we began providing medical treatment to a man approximately 50 years old who was in serious condition, and to a man approximately 30 years old who was in moderate condition. At another scene in Tzur Yitzhak, we provided medical treatment to a man approximately 30 years old who was injured in his hand. At an additional scene on Route 5533, we treated another man in critical condition, as well as an additional casualty who was evacuated in serious condition. We continue to provide medical treatment at the various scenes.”MDA Paramedic Eyal Drori: “We arrived at several scenes after calls were received at MDA’s 101 dispatch regarding shooting incidents at multiple locations. Large numbers of MDA responders were quickly dispatched to the various sites, and at each of the scenes, we reached the injured and immediately began providing medical treatment to stabilize their condition. We continue to operate at the scene and provide medical treatment to the casualties.”
Lior Zilberberg, MDA Kfar Saba Station Manager and paramedic, said: “We were in a large training exercise in a nearby community when we received reports via the MDA 101 dispatch center about gunshot casualties at several scenes close to us. We immediately stopped the exercise and set out with intensive care units and ambulances to the gas station in Kochav Ya’ir, Tzur Yitzhak, and Tzur Natan. At the gas station, MDA EMTs and paramedics provided medical treatment to two injured individuals who were evacuated to hospital in serious and moderate condition. At the entrance to Tzur Yitzhak, we saw two casualties: a man in his 30s who suffered a gunshot wound to his arm, and a 61-year-old woman who was in a vehicle and was injured by gunfire to her upper body. We provided both of them with medical treatment, and they were evacuated in MDA mobile intensive care units to hospital in moderate condition. I continued driving toward Tzur Natan, where we received reports of active gunfire. During the drive, civilians signaled me to stop and called me to provide medical treatment to an unconscious casualty inside a vehicle. He was pulseless and not breathing, with gunshot wounds to his body, and after medical assessments we were forced to pronounce him dead. Near the vehicle, another injured person was lying conscious, suffering gunshot wounds to the upper body. After initial medical treatment at the scene, he was evacuated in an MDA mobile intensive care unit to hospital in moderate-to-severe condition.
Another victim was later located on the road between Tzur Natan and Sal’it.
One of the victims, who was initially described as critically injured. was later pronounced dead.
The gunman fled the scene in both cases. Police launched a manhunt and opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incidents. One suspect has been neutralized, while searches continue for a second suspect.
The IDF stated: “Following reports of multiple shooting incidents, IDF soldiers, in coordination with the security forces, were dispatched to the areas of Sal’it and Tzur Yitzhak a short while ago. The terrorist was neutralized at the scene. The soldiers, together with additional medical personnel, began extensive searches for additional terrorists and are providing medical treatment to the injured. Additional soldiers are on their way to the scene.”
