Palestinian Terrorist Behind Tel Aviv Shooting Killed

The Palestinian terrorist who committed the shooting on Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff Street on April 7 was killed by the Israeli authorities several hours after the terror attack, The Times of Israel reported.

The terrorist, identified as 28-year-old Ra’ad Hazem, hailed from Jenin and was the son of a retired senior officer in the Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces. Hazem was found hiding in a Jaffa mosque and opened fire on Israeli officers pursuing him. Hazem is not believed to have been affiliated with any terror groups and reportedly entered Israel illegally through a gap in the security barrier separating Israel and the Palestinian territory in the West Bank. Hazem’s father and uncle both lauded the terror attack, with his father telling a crowd, “Your eyes will see the victory soon. You will see change. You will achieve your freedom… God, liberate the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the desecration of the occupiers.”

Three people have died from the Tel Aviv terror attack so far. They have been identified as Barak Lufan, 35, Eytam Magini, 27, and Tomer Morad, 27.  Lufan is a former Olympian and left behind a wife and three children. Magini and Morad were childhood friends; Magini, who worked for the Israeli tech firm Wix, had recently gotten engaged. Morad was about to start a new job.

PA President Mahmoud Abbas said in a statement, “The killing of Palestinian and Israeli civilians only leads to a further deterioration of the situation, as we are all striving for stability, especially during the holy month of Ramadan and the upcoming Christian and Jewish holidays.” The Israeli government is lobbying the Biden administration to pressure Abbas to end the PA’s payments to terrorists and their families, known as the “pay-to-slay” policy.

Bahrain’s foreign ministry issued a condemnation of the terror attack and gave their condolences to the families of the victims. “We reiterate the Kingdom of Bahrain’s position that opposes all forms of terrorism and violence no matter the motives and the justifications,” they said.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett issued his condolences to the families of the victims in a series of tweets and acknowledged that Israel is “in a difficult and challenging period.” “It may be prolonged,” he added. “The Second Intifada lasted several years but in the end we won.”