Policeman killed, 5 injured in shooting in Israel

An assailant shot dead an Israeli policeman and wounded five other people near the southern city of Ashdod on Tuesday in what police called a "terrorist" attack.

The gunman was killed during the attack at the Yavne interchange along the highway connecting Ashdod to Tel Aviv, the authorities said.

"A terrorist wounded five people, including a policeman who was critically injured and then died later," a police spokesman said.

The attacker had approached the main road on foot, fatally wounding the policeman before going on a shooting rampage and wounding others.

An Israeli paramedic at the scene "shot the terrorist and neutralised him", said Zaki Heller, a spokesman with emergency service provider Magen David Adom.

"I was driving on the road, I saw a terrorist shooting, I jumped out of the car and neutralised him," the unidentified paramedic who shot the gunman told media during a live interview from the scene.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir hailed the off-duty paramedic's response, saying his gun reforms had helped to save lives, in comments to the media.

The shooting comes just days after one person was killed and five wounded during a stabbing attack in the central town of Hadera before the assailant was shot by armed civilians.

Palestinian group Hamas later praised that attack, saying it was a "heroic stabbing operation" and calling "for more painful strikes against the occupation".

And earlier this month, seven people were killed in a Tel Aviv shooting and stabbing claimed by Hamas.

Palestinian fighters have carried out several attacks on Israelis since October 7 last year, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, sparking war in Gaza.