The principal of an elementary school in Kuseife was shot Thursday morning on his way to work. He is in critical condition.
Passersby reported to police at around 7:40 a.m. that a man was lying in the street with gunshot wounds to the upper body near the community council building in the southern Bedouin town.
Police arrived on the scene and discovered the victim was an elementary school principal, 43, likely on his way to the educational institution he managed when his care came under attack.
Magen David Adom paramedics gave the principal medical treatment on the scene before bringing him to Soroka Hospital with the help of ZAKA teams.
MDA paramedic Evyatar Cohen described the scene: "When we reached the Clalit medical clinic in Kuseife, we found a 43-year-old injured man, with wounds to the upper body."
"We immediately began life-saving first aid treatment and evacuated him, sedated and on a respirator, in critical condition, to the Soroka Hospital shock room."
Students and staff of the principal's school reacted with shock and disbelief at the news of the attack on their beloved principal.
Police, meanwhile, continue to comb the area for the shooter, as well investigate the circumstances of the case. In particular, they are looking into the possibility that this was some sort of criminal act.
A similar incident occurred last August when the principal of the Amal High School in Taibeh, Yussuf Haj Yahya, was shot dead by a masked gunman in front of a group of teachers.