October 7 music festival attendee and Israeli Defense Forces reserve member celebrated as a 'valiant figure' for challenging assailants during the Tel Aviv assault
Seven individuals met their demise, and eighteen sustained injuries in the attack on Jerusalem Boulevard, a prominent area in Jaffa, a coastal neighborhood situated in southern Tel Aviv, as reported by Israeli law enforcement.
The incident transpired mere moments prior to Iran launching approximately 200 ballistic missiles towards Israel, marking their most substantial missile attack to date. The barrage ignited sirens across the nation and prompted residents to seek shelter in bomb shelters.
Video footage disseminated online showcased Lev Kreitman, a man who served six months as a military reservist in Gaza, firing a gun at an unidentified target before fleeing. The recording was captured from a nearby building in Jaffa and appears to depict Kreitman wearing a pink shirt, white shorts, and flip-flops.
In another video, Kreitman could be seen wandering amongst Israeli soldiers present at the scene of the attack.
During an interview with CNN affiliate Channel 11, Kreitman disclosed that he had been carrying his personal firearm following his tenure with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Reminiscing about the events of that day, he described encountering "two suspects," with one approaching him.
"The other vanished, fled, and I was positioned right here, where we stand now," Kreitman explained, recounting how he managed to surprise the approaching individual from the side, firing his weapon. "I realized immediately that this was an attack."
He continued, sharing his experience of navigating the chaotic situation, filled with alarm warnings, missiles being intercepted, and air-raid alerts.
Kreitman survived the Hamas attack on the Nova music festival on October 7. The trance event, held in southern Israel's Negev Desert, was one of the militant group's targets during their assault, during which approximately 1,200 people were murdered and over 250 others were abducted and transported to Gaza.
Israel's confrontation with Hamas in Gaza resulted in the deaths of more than 41,000 people, sparked a humanitarian crisis, and left substantial damage to the Palestinian enclave.
Authorities in Israel revealed on Wednesday that the attack had commenced with two gunmen opening fire on passengers aboard a light rail vehicle that had halted at a station in Jaffa. Subsequently, they continued their rampage on foot along Jerusalem Boulevard, according to police reports.
The attackers were neutralized by security forces and civilians who used their personal weapons, police confirmed. "They carried an M-16 type weapon, ammunition, and a knife in their possession," police stated in a press release.
Medical personnel reported treating victims at various locations along Jerusalem Boulevard, including near train tracks, on the streets, at a synagogue, and in a butcher's shop. Those injured were transported to hospitals as air-raid alarms sounded in the area and throughout Israel.
Israeli authorities identified the assailants as Muhammad Mask, 19, who was killed on the scene, and Ahmed Himoni, 25, who sustained severe injuries. Police confirmed that the pair hailed from Hebron, a Palestinian city located in the occupied West Bank.
Hamas took responsibility for the attack following the incident.
In response to the incident, the Israel Security Agency and IDF forces apprehended several suspects accused of aiding the gunmen in procuring weapons and crossing into Israel, according to police statements.
In a post on X, Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir lauded Kreitman as a "hero who thwarted the attack" in Jaffa and acted "courageously" during the October 7 incident, saving numerous lives. Ben-Gvir advocated for more Israelis to arm themselves.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack and extended his sympathies to the families of those who lost their lives.
CNN's Abeer Salman and Lauren Izso contributed to the reporting.
The attack on Jerusalem Boulevard in Jaffa, a significant incident in Israel, occurred in the midst of heightened tensions in the Middle East, as Iran was preparing to launch its most substantial missile attack towards Israel.
Despite the chaos caused by the missile attack and the Hamas attack on the Nova music festival in the Negev Desert, Lev Kreitman, a former military reservist, managed to survives both incidents and played a role in thwarting the attack in Jaffa.
