BICOM

The gunman who killed two Israelis on Friday afternoon in an attack in a bar in central Tel Aviv remains unaccounted for, as Israeli security forces continue to comb the area.

The suspect has been named as 29-year-old Nashat Melhem, from the Arab town of Arara in northern Israel. Melhem is thought to have stolen a gun from his father, who works in security. He opened fire at the Simta bar on Dizengoff Street, near the corner of Gordon Street. Two people were killed in the attack and seven wounded. Those who were killed were named as 26-year-old Alon Bakal and 30-year-old Shimon Ruimi. Both were laid to rest yesterday.

Melhem fled the scene and although security forces launched an immediate manhunt, he remains on the loose. His mobile phone was found on Saturday night in northern Tel Aviv and police are investigating whether the death of a taxi driver on Friday in the same area was connected to Melhem. In 2007, Melhem served time in an Israeli prison, after he attempted to snatch a soldier’s weapon. His father condemned the deadly attack and asked Melhem to turn himself in to Israeli authorities. However, Melhem’s brother Juedat was arrested on suspicion of being an accomplice. Meanwhile, with Melhem still at large, security has been increased in Tel Aviv schools and educational institutions. Many students remained at home yesterday.

Friday’s attack was the first in Tel Aviv since 2 November, when two people were killed in a stabbing in south Tel Aviv. In total, at least 23 Israelis have been killed during the current wave of violence since the beginning of October. Yesterday, two Israeli soldiers were injured in separate shooting attacks in the Hebron area. A female soldier was moderately wounded in one of the incidents. Meanwhile, a Palestinian teenager was apprehended yesterday for attempting to stab an Israeli at a bus stop in the Armon Hanatziv neighbourhood of Jerusalem.