BICOM

A Palestinian man from a village close to Nablus opened fire yesterday on a group of students at a bus stop in Petach Tikvah.

Sadek Nasser Abu Mazen, an 18-year-old from Beita al-Foka, shot at the group just before 5pm in the market place in the central Israeli city. He was reportedly armed with a Carlo – a Carl Gustav style sub-machine gun – a model manufactured in illegal weapons workshops in the West Bank and sold for as little as $770 (£620).

Mazen fled the scene after local residents attempted to catch him. He entered a sewing machine shop and began shooting again until the gun malfunctioned. He then produced a screwdriver and attempted to stab a man in the shop.

Palestinian media reported yesterday that IDF soldiers surrounded the attackers house in Beita al-Foka and were expected to question the family.

The Petach Tikvah ambulance service reported that seven people were taken to Beilinson hospital. Two people sustained gunshot wounds to their legs and were in a moderate condition. Three people were lightly injured and two were treated for shock.

Hamas praised the attack as a “natural result” of Israeli crimes, but did not claim responsibility.

Since October 2015, 46 people have been killed in stabbings, car rammings and shooting attacks.