At least eight people were injured this morning when a vehicle struck pedestrians waiting at a bus stop on Highway 57 at the entrance to Kfar Yona, a city in central Israel east of Netanya.
Emergency services treated the wounded at the scene and evacuated two people – a man and a woman, both around 20 years old – to Laniado Hospital in serious, though not critical, condition with chest and limb injuries.
Three others were in moderate condition with head and limb injuries, and three people were in mild condition. In addition to Laniado, victims were transported to Meir and Hillel Yaffe hospitals.
The driver fled the scene immediately after the crash, leading Israeli security forces to shut down several crossings into the West Bank.
The vehicle involved in the incident is believed to have been located abandoned in the Beit Lid area.
Police are still seeking the suspected attacker, with local officers conducting searches along nearby roads and in open areas.
Ground teams are being supported by security forces, police helicopters, search dogs and Yasam motorcycle units.
Daniel Levi, commissioner of the Israel Police, is reportedly en route to the scene to conduct a "situational assessment”.
The ramming follows a similar attack in the northern Israeli town of Pardes Hanna-Karkur, which injured 12 people in February.
The suspect in that case, identified as a 53-year-old Palestinian from the Jenin, was killed by police shortly after the incident.
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