The number of dead increased by two Palestinian knife attack in central Israel today, according to Israeli authorities.

The man attacked and killed a 70-year-old woman and injured three more people in central Israel today, of which a 70-year-old man succumbed to his injuries shortly afterwards.

The attacker was shot dead by the police, as announced by the Israeli authorities. Specifically, the police said in a statement that the attacker was “neutralized” at the scene.

The attack took place today during rush hour in the city of Holon, outside Tel Aviv. The attacker stabbed the victims near a gas station and a park, according to Israel’s ambulance service.

“There are strong police forces at the scene and they are conducting extensive searches with a helicopter and other means”, announced the police who are investigating whether other people are involved in the attack.

A 68-year-old man is hospitalized in a “critical condition” and a 26-year-old man who is now slightly injured.

The country’s Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, was at the scene of the attack and encouraged citizens to take up arms.

“Our war is not only against Iran, but also here… We have distributed thousands of weapons to civilians to use,” said Ben-Gvir.

“I call on citizens to take up arms and use them,” he said.

The attack came amid escalating tensions in Israel and the wider region following threats of retaliation by Iran, Palestinian Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah following the assassination in Tehran this week of Hamas chief Ismail Haniya in Tehran, which attributed to Israel, and the Israeli strike near Beirut that killed Hezbollah military commander Fouad Shukr.