Number of wounded in Tel Aviv attack rises to six, including US tourist

(Jan. 22, 2025 | Updated Jan. 23, 03:45 / JNS)

Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center’s Ichilov Hospital announced on Wednesday that two additional victims of the previous night’s terrorist attack in the city had been admitted, with minor injuries. This brings the total number of injured to six, three of whom have already been discharged, according to the hospital.

The terrorist stabbed six people, all of whom were hospitalized, with one in serious condition and the others sustaining light to moderate injuries, Ichilov spokesperson Elsa Kuperman told JNS on Thursday. She added that the seriously injured individual underwent neck surgery and is now recovering well.

Among the victims was an American tourist, who was attacked after the terrorist had already stabbed four Israelis, according to Ynet.

One of the Israeli victims was an IDF officer who had previously lost his right arm fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The terrorist was ultimately neutralized by two soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces’ elite Shaldag unit, who had been nearby and heard the American tourist’s cries for help. The soldiers, one of whom was in uniform and one of whom was in pajamas, rushed to intervene.

“We came down from the house and saw him assaulting a civilian. We shouted for him to stop and fired four shots when he refused,” one of the soldiers told Ynet.

The gunfire caused panic in the area, with bystanders fleeing into restaurants and hiding under tables.

The attacker, identified as 29-year-old Kaddi Abdelaziz, was a Moroccan national with permanent U.S. residency who had entered Israel three days before the attack. Upon his arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, border inspectors flagged him as suspicious and referred him for questioning. Despite this, the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) ultimately approved his entry after additional security checks.

The Shin Bet has started an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Abdelaziz’s entry.

“The subject underwent a comprehensive security assessment, including questioning and other checks. It was concluded there was no justification to deny entry. The case will be thoroughly reviewed,” the agency said in a statement.

Additionally, Ynet revealed that Abdelaziz had previously shared anti-Israel posts on Facebook.