2024 Holon stabbing

2024 Holon stabbing
2024 Holon stabbing (Israel)
Location	Holon, Israel
Date	August 4, 2024 (2024-08-04)
Attack type	mass stabbing
Deaths	3 (including the perpetrator)
Injured	2
Assailant	Ammar Razek Kamel Odeh

On 4 August 2024, a mass stabbing targeting Israeli civilians occurred at three different locations in the city of Holon, Israel. Two elderly people, a 66-year-old woman and an 80-year-old man, were killed by the perpetrator, while two others were injured. The attacker, a 35-year-old Palestinian man from Salfit, West Bank, was later shot and killed by a police officer.

Hamas issued a statement mourning the perpetrator, describing him as a "martyred hero."

Attack

The attack, which involved a series of stabbings, took place at three different locations in Holon, approximately 500 metres apart. It began at the entrance of a grove park on Moshe Dayan Street, where an elderly couple was using exercise equipment. The assailant killed the woman and wounded her husband. He then proceeded to a nearby bus stop adjacent to a gas station, where he critically wounded a man in his 80s, who later died at Wolfson Medical Center. The fourth victim, a 26-year-old man, was stabbed at a Egged parking lot on Dan Shomron Street. The attacker was recognized by a police operations officer from scanner reports, who then chased him into the gas station where the attacker was shot, critically injured and died en route to Shamir Medical Center.

Victims

Sixty-six-year-old Rina Daniv was pronounced dead at the scene. Avraham Somechi, a man in his eighties, died from his wounds after being transported to Wolfson Medical Center. Two others were injured: a 26-year-old man and Daniv's 66-year-old husband.

Perpetrator

The perpetrator was Ammar Razek Kamel Odeh, a 35-year-old Palestinian man from the West Bank town of Salfit, who entered Israel without a permit. He was not affiliated with any terrorist organizations, had a history of drug rehabilitation, and had been imprisoned multiple times. The investigation, conducted by the Tel Aviv District Police and Shin Bet, is examining his activities since his entry, potential assistance from smugglers, and whether the attack was premeditated or spontaneous.

Aftermath

Official responses

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a cabinet meeting that "this morning there was a murderous terrorist attack in Holon. I send my condolences to the families of the murdered and best wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured." Netanyahu praised the police officers who killed the attacker, adding "we will reckon with everyone who cooperated with him."

Israel's Minister for State Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, visited the site of the attack and stated, "I share in the grief of the families and wish a full recovery to the wounded. Our war is not only against Iran but also here in the streets." He reiterated his call for Israelis to arm themselves.

Following the attack, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) mapped the perpetrator's house for demolition.

Palestinian response

Palestinian militant groups celebrated the attack. Hamas issued a statement mourning the perpetrator, describing him as a "martyred hero." The statement read, "Hamas views this act as a natural response to ongoing Israeli occupation crimes against the Palestinian people, including brutal acts in Gaza, escalating violations in the West Bank, and the assassination of movement leader Ismail Haniyeh." The Popular Resistance Committees, a coalition of Palestinian factions, as well as the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, posted messages of support on their social media channels.