An explosion took place in Tel Aviv on Sunday evening, killing one and wounding one. The nature of the explosion has led to suspicions that it may have been an attack, and authorities are actively investigating the situation. The explosion took place soon after the death of an Israeli security guard who was attacked with a hammer in a West Bank settlement.
Update: On August 22, Israel officially identified the Palestinian man’s family in Nablus, in the occupied West Bank’s northern part, that their son, Ja’far Sa’ad Sa’if Mona, 30, was behind the Tel Aviv attack.
The source of the explosion was identified as an explosive device attached to a vehicle. The force of the detonation was significant, causing damage and sparking fears of an intentional act of violence.
Upon receiving reports of the explosion, Israeli police units converged on the scene, located on Lahi Street, to assess the damage and assist the victims. While the identity of the deceased has not been released, the injured person, who had been riding by on a scooter, received prompt medical attention.
Surveillance video footage of the explosion:
Investigators are currently combing through evidence to uncover the motives and identify any parties responsible for this incident.
This incident in Tel Aviv came just as US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv, and as thousands of Israelis took to the streets demanding a ceasefire deal to end the 317-day-long Israeli assault on the Palestinian population of the Gaza Strip.
Several thousand protesters in Tel Aviv demanding ceasefire deal pic.twitter.com/Tc1J5BmFqx
— Roya News English (@RoyaNewsEnglish) August 18, 2024
In a separate incident, Israeli security guard, Gidon Peri, 38 years old, who was attacked earlier on Sunday by a hammer-wielding Palestinian man in the West Bank, died Sunday evening in the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva, as a result of his injuries.
Israeli Major General Avi Blot, Commander of the Central Command, conducted a nighttime situation assessment at the scene of the attack in the Kedumim settlement in the occupied West Bank.
Blot stated, “This is a very severe attack. I met with the commanders and the head of the Kedumim Council at the scene, and I want to extend my condolences to the Peri family and share in their grief. We are in pursuit of the vile terrorist, and we will hold him accountable soon. At the same time, we will conduct a thorough investigation to learn from this and prevent similar incidents in the future.”
