Scene of Rosh Ha'ayin stabbing
Scene of Rosh Ha'ayin stabbingMagen David Adom

Security cameras in the industrial region of Rosh Ha'ayin, located to the east of Tel Aviv, caught civilians heroically rushing to apprehend a female Arab stabber on Sunday after she attacked and lightly wounded a woman aged around 30.

Credit: Biones security Israel

The incident has yet to be officially classified as a terrorist attack by the police; it took place on Hamalakha Street, not far from the Israeli Arab city of Kfar Qassem. The stabber was later identified as a 23-year-old resident of Kfar Qassem.

A female Arab suspect stabbed a woman at the scene, who was evacuated to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva in stable condition suffering a light stab wound to her arm.

Video from security cameras at the site show how civilians rushed to try and apprehend the Arab woman after she attacked, and one driver tried to knock her over with his car to stop her. Witnesses report she shouted: "I'll kill you!"

A security guard eventually overpowered her without using his gun, according to the police, and it was found that in addition to the knife in her hand she had a second knife in her bag.

The attack is the first since a stabbing in Hevron two weeks ago on Wednesday, which came amid preparations and celebrations for Purim. In that attack two Arab terrorists stabbed a soldier before being shot dead.

One was shot by a soldier as he lay wounded on the ground, and the soldier currently is being tried for manslaughter over the incident - he argues that he shot over concerns the terrorist had a bomb belt hidden on him and was about to detonate. That those concerns were not ruled out has been backed by the MDA and an IDF investigation.