The terrorist Mohammed Mahmoud Shawamreh Arba'i, a Shuafat refugee camp resident, stabbed two hotel guests. A Negev district police officer who was staying at the hotel and observed the unfolding events subdued the terrorist and detained him. Together with the attacker, three other suspects were detained on suspicion of involvement in the incident.
The officer who subdued the terrorist, whose relative was stabbed during the incident, stated that when he observed the attack, he had insufficient time to draw and fire and leaped on him until achieving control. Avi, the Kibbutz Tzuba hotel manager, stated, "The hotel doesn't employ the terrorist, who arrived for the first time as a contractor employee to wash dishes."
The police officer who subdued the terrorist at the Tzuba hotel recounted the events, stating, "I'm attending a family gathering at the hotel, and shortly before I observed people fleeing from the hotel, I realized in that instant that an extraordinary incident was unfolding. I called out to people not to run and to proceed calmly, I unholstered my firearm and donned identifying headwear."
He continued, "I sprinted toward the direction from which people were escaping and spotted the terrorist, surrounded by multiple civilians. I subdued the terrorist using my hands rather than gunfire to reduce risk to civilians present at the location. Aided by additional upstanding citizens, I brought him to the ground and secured him with handcuffs. I recognized an individual stabbed in his torso, and I administered initial medical care. Subsequently, I discovered that my relative was stabbed as well."
MDA announced that at 1:08 p.m. a call came in to the Jerusalem district regarding two casualties in a kibbutz within the Jerusalem corridor. MDA paramedics and emergency medical technicians administered medical care and transported them to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital. One victim is in serious condition, who is approximately 50 years old, and one victim is in moderate condition, who is 23 years old.
MDA senior emergency medical technician Roi Ben Shoham recounted, "Upon reaching the entrance area, I observed a casualty seated in the parking zone, conscious with a stab wound in the chest. We performed a sweep during which a male was found in the dining hall, also experiencing a chest stabbing injury."
The hotel additionally reported, "This involves a worker from an outside personnel agency, called Basel Zalbani, not affiliated with the hotel or kibbutz staff. Primary accountability for his hiring and recruitment procedures rests with the workforce supplier. Hotel administration and Tzuba Tourism are working in complete coordination with security personnel and law enforcement, offering support and accompaniment to the casualties and their relatives. The hotel maintains regular operations and we persist in ensuring guest and staff safety."
The staffing agency "Basel Zalbani" disassociates from the incident. "Being a personnel agency, had we been aware of even one percent possibility he might commit such an act – he never would have joined us," the agency director informed Israel Hayom. Per his account, the terrorist Mohammed Mahmoud Shawamreh Arba'i has been employed through the agency from the month's start. "He's recently joined us, and lacks any criminal history. We verified this, he never committed anything remotely approaching this."
Additionally, the terrorist's elder sibling has been employed at the hotel over the past five years, also through the staffing agency. "He transports the employees," they indicate there. "He handles transporting employees by car and bringing them back home. He brought his sibling. Beyond that," the agency director indicates, "I believe his sibling was unaware of this intention. He personally states his younger sibling has problems. He separated from his spouse some years back, and states he wishes to die. The elder sibling is stunned; he cannot yet accept that this occurred."
