IDF soldier killed during violent criminal shootings across Israel

Police stated in both incidences that the attacks were criminal in nature rather than terror attacks.

 Violent incident at Gan Shmuel in northern Israel where one person was killed on August 16, 2023. (photo credit: ISRAEL POLICE)
Violent incident at Gan Shmuel in northern Israel where one person was killed on August 16, 2023.
(photo credit: ISRAEL POLICE)

Two people were killed and another four were injured in separate incidences across Israel on Wednesday at around 8 p.m. One of those killed was later revealed to be a 21-year-old IDF soldier. 

A 17-year-old was killed and another three people were injured in a violent incident and what is also suspected to be an assassination on Highway 65 near Gan Shmuel, according to Israeli media. Israel Police reported that the incident took place inside a vehicle and the details are being investigated.

MDA paramedics determined the death of a 40-year-old man at the scene and took the other three to Hillel Yaffe Medical Center with gunshot wounds. All the victims of the incident are from Or Akiva. The targets of the assassination are apparently a father and son, who were seriously injured, Walla reported.

According to the evidence from the scene, a motorcycle with two suspects on it stopped next to the vehicle, and they fired a bunch of shots at its occupants, KAN reported. 

Jaljulia incident

A 21-year-old resident of Petah Tikva, later confirmed to be an IDF soldier, was shot to death in his car in Jaljulia at around the same time as the incident in Gan Shmuel, according to a statement from Israel Police. The 21-year-old was taken to the Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba in critical condition, but the medical staff there had to pronounce him dead, Maariv reported.

 Violent incident at Gan Shmuel in northern Israel where one person was killed on August 16, 2023. (credit: ISRAEL POLICE)
Violent incident at Gan Shmuel in northern Israel where one person was killed on August 16, 2023. (credit: ISRAEL POLICE)

A 15-year-old was also slightly injured in the incident.

Police stated in both incidences that the attacks were criminal in nature rather than terror attacks. Police are currently looking for suspects behind both attacks. Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai is on his way to the scene.

This is a developing story.