Tragedy Averted As Suicide Bomb Explodes in Tel Aviv

Hamas and Islamic Jihad claimed joint responsibility Monday for a bombing the day before in Tel Aviv that killed the apparent attacker and wounded a bystander and that Israeli officials confirmed was a terrorist attack.

Israeli security officials have identified the suicide bomber, a man in his 50s, as a Palestinian resident of Shechem. On Monday, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) claimed responsibility for the attack and Hamas threatened that suicide bombings will continue.

The bomb appeared to go off before it was intended, and the presumed attacker was shown in security footage walking down the street wearing a large backpack just before the explosion, according to the Associated Press. Security officials believe that the suicide bomber was on his way to detonate the bomb in a crowded area, such as the shopping area about 100 meters from the Synagogue, where numerous cafes and stores are located.

In a statement Monday, Hamas’ militant wing said it and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s militant wing were responsible for the blast.

Al-Qassam Brigades, in cooperation with Saraya Al-Quds, announced “the execution of a martyrdom operation that took place last night, Sunday, in the city of ‘Tel Aviv.’”

Reuters reported that was a reference to Israel’s offensive in Gaza and the July 31 killing of top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in an explosion in Tehran that was blamed on Israel.

The Israeli police spokesperson’s unit and the Shin Bet spokesperson’s unit released a joint statement of their own confirming the large explosion that detonated the night before in Tel Aviv was a “terror attack.”

Since Sunday night, Tel Aviv District police officers, officers from the police bomb disposal unit, and forensic investigators, in collaboration with the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), “have been working at the scene where a powerful bomb exploded on Lechi Road in Tel Aviv. All necessary actions and examinations are being carried out in coordination with the Shin Bet,” Monday’s statement said. “It can now be confirmed that this was a terror attack involving the explosion of a powerful explosive.”

Israeli officials said the explosion moderately injured a passerby who was transported to receive medical treatment.

Congregants at the shul which was near the bomb blast on Sunday evening are grateful for their being miraculously saved when the powerful explosive device prematurely exploded, killing the bomber and wounding a passerby.

There were 80 congregants davening Maariv in the shul when the bomb exploded, YWN reported. The building was rocked by the explosion but no one was injured as the device exploded as the terrorist was passing by a truck, which absorbed most of the explosion.