The attack took place in central Israel
(Picture: REUTERS)A pair of gunmen killed two people and wounded at least four others Sunday in a shooting spree in central Israel before they were killed by police.
Israeli officials told the Associated Press the gunmen behind the attack in the northern city of Hadera on Sunday night were supporters of Islamic State.
It marks the second deadly attack in an Israeli city in less than a week.
On Tuesday, a lone attacker inspired by the Islamic State group killed four people in a stabbing rampage in Beersheba, southern Israel before he was killed by passers-by.
The Israeli rescue service MADA confirmed the deaths of one man and one woman in Sunday’s attack, and said four people were wounded, two seriously.
It released videos showing large numbers of police cars and ambulances in the area.
Police said the two gunmen were shot dead by policemen who had been dining at a nearby restaurant.
"Luckily, our officers managed to neutralise the assailants and prevent a bigger terrorist attack," national police spokesman Eli Levy said on Israel’s Kan television.
The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, who is on a visit to the country, condemned the attack, saying: “Such senseless acts of violence and murder have no place in society. We stand with our Israeli partners and send our condolences to the families of the victims.”
Israel’s Foreign Affairs Minister Yair Lapid called the shooting "heinous" and "an attempt by violent extremists to terrorize and to damage the fabric of life here."
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza, praised the attack as a "heroic operation."
Security camera footage obtained by Israeli media showed two men appearing to open fire before being shot.
Following last week’s attack, Israeli officials had voiced concerns about a possible rise in violence ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, amid fear of heightened religious tensions.
