Elderly woman killed in central Israel stabbing attack, Palestinian assailant was shot and detained

An 83-year-old woman died from wounds sustained after being stabbed by a Palestinian man in the city of Herzliya in central Israel on Friday morning, Israel Police and Magen David Adom (MDA) said.

After the man stabbed the elderly woman, Ludmila Lipovsky, with a knife, he was shot by nearby security guards and later detained by the police.

Lipovsky was rushed to a Tel Aviv hospital in critical condition but was declared dead upon arrival.

The terrorist, whose condition was reported as serious, is a resident of Tulkarm in Samaria and formerly served as an informant for Israel.

The domestic intelligence service Shin Bet stated, “The suspect in carrying out this morning's stabbing attack in Herzliya is a Palestinian resident of the Samaria region, a former aide to the security system, who was involved in thwarting terrorist infrastructure in Judea and Samaria, was exposed and transferred to Israel for rehabilitation.”

“The suspect was arrested at the scene and will be transferred to the Shin Bet investigation to continue investigating the circumstances of the attack,” the intelligence service added.

According to Ynet News, he served three terms in administrative detention in the past, most recently about one year ago, until June 2024.

Magen David Adom emergency medic Elon Bovaron, who was the first to arrive at the scene of the attack, recounted: “I was on a nearby street and received a call on the MDA app, I immediately went to the scene and noticed a woman lying on the sidewalk unconscious with stab wounds on her body near a nursing home.”

“Together with other forces that arrived at the scene, we began to provide life-saving medical treatment, performed CPR and evacuated her to the hospital in critical condition. During the treatment, security personnel who were nearby neutralized the terrorist near us.”

Lipovsky had been living in an assisted living facility in Herzliya. According to Walla News, she was waiting outside the home to be picked up by her daughter when the terrorist began stabbing her.

“She went out and waited for her daughter to take her to the doctor and the terrorist started stabbing her, five or six times. She has been a resident of a nursing home here for many years. I heard screams, I went out and saw her lying on the floor,” a staff member at the facility told Walla.

Israel Postal Services later announced that the terrorist was stopped by its security guards.

“In the serious attack that took place this morning in Herzliya, the security guards of the Israel Post's Courier Unit neutralized the terrorist.”

Israel Police said the incident was under investigation and that Police Commissioner Daniel Levy visited the scene of the attack.

After inspecting the area, Levy said, “This is a sad morning, we are in the Hanukkah holiday during which the Israel Police is deployed in all sectors, and unfortunately … this scoundrel came and did what he did.”

“The postal company neutralized the terrorist, this is how it should be done in the State of Israel. We are deployed with the understanding that such cases may occur, we are deployed wherever there is a crowd of people, to give the State of Israel the opportunity to celebrate Hanukkah after a very difficult year.”

“We will continue to do this every day and every night - not to let anyone harm the citizens of the State of Israel,” Levy added.