A 71-year-old foreign national was murdered Tuesday in the Hatikva neighborhood of Tel Aviv, apparently by a 40-year-old Eritrean infiltrator.

Magen David Adom paramedics declared the man dead at the scene after he was found with severe facial trauma.

According to initial suspicions, the attacker assaulted the elderly victim with a rock in an attempt to steal his mobile phone.

MDA paramedic Amit Shushan and emergency medic Fadi Ghanim stated: “We reached the victim, who had been involved in a violent incident. When we arrived, we noticed that he was lying unconscious, without pulse or breathing, and had sustained facial injuries. We immediately began to perform advanced resuscitation, including chest massages and assisted breathing, but unfortunately, were ultimately forced to pronounce him dead at the scene.”

Israel Police reported that officers from the Tel Aviv South precinct and Ayalon District investigators arrived at the scene and began searches and inquiries. A 40-year-old Eritrean national was arrested nearby and taken for questioning. Tel Aviv District Commander Chaim Sargroff and Ayalon Commander Dep.-Cmdr. Daniel Haddad conducted an assessment at the scene. The investigation has been assigned to the Ayalon District Crime Unit.