One Israeli police officer dead, four wounded in Ashdod shooting attack

An assailant shot dead an Israeli policeman and wounded four other people near the southern city of Ashdod in what police called a "terrorist" attack.

The gunman was killed during Tuesday's attack at the Yavne interchange along the highway connecting Ashdod to Tel Aviv, the authorities said.

"A terrorist wounded five people, including a policeman who was critically injured and then died later," a police spokesperson said.

The attacker had approached the main road on foot, fatally wounding the policeman before going on a shooting rampage and wounding others.

An Israeli paramedic at the scene "shot the terrorist and neutralised him", said Zaki Heller, a spokesperson with emergency service provider Magen David Adom.

"I was driving on the road, I saw a terrorist shooting, I jumped out of the car and neutralised him," the unidentified paramedic who shot the gunman told media during a live interview from the scene.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir hailed the off-duty paramedic's response, saying his gun reforms had helped to save lives, in comments to the media.

No information was provided about the identity of the attacker.

The shooting comes just days after one person was killed and five wounded during a stabbing attack in the central town of Hadera before the assailant was shot by armed civilians.

Palestinian resistance group Hamas later praised that attack, saying it was a "heroic stabbing operation" and calling "for more painful strikes against the occupation".

And earlier this month, seven people were killed in a Tel Aviv shooting and stabbing claimed by Hamas.

The attack came amid regional tensions due to Israel's brutal offensive on Gaza, which has killed nearly 42,300 people, mostly women and children, following a Hamas attack last year.

The conflict has spread to Lebanon with Israel launching deadly strikes across the country, which have killed more than 1,542 people and injured over 4,555 others since September 23.

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Source: TRT