The Israel Security Agency (ISA) cleared for publication on Sunday morning that a suspected terrorist was arrested during the night, who linked himself to an ax stabbing attack that left a security guard critically wounded. The suspect is 20-year-old Saadi Ali Abu-Hamed, from the Palestinian town of Azariya.

The terrorist attack occurred at a shopping mall in the town of Maale Adumim, east of Jerusalem, on the night between Thursday and Friday, February 25-26. A 48-year-old security guard suffered severe head wounds and was transported to Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem where he underwent surgery and still remains in critical condition.

Forces from the ISA, Israel Police and IDF conducted a widespread search for the assailant for two days until the arrest. Abu-Hamed has been taken to be further interrogated by the ISA.

An assailant attempted to stab an Israeli at a junction near the town of Beit El in the Binyamin region in the late afternoon of Friday, February 26, the IDF Spokesperson’s Office said. The assailant is in critical condition after being shot by security forces. No injuries to Israeli civilians or security forces have been reported.

An assailant stabbed an Israeli security guard overnight Thursday-Friday, February 25-26 in the Judean town of Maale Adumim, in another apparent act of Palestinian terrorism.

The victim, 48 years old and posted at the town’s shopping mall, suffered a head wound and was transported to Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, where he underwent surgery and remains in critical condition. He has been admitted to intensive care and is on a respirator.

Israeli police, in cooperation with border police and security forces, are conducting a manhunt for the assailant. A helicopter has been dispatched to assist with the search. Police have imposed a closure on Maale Adumim until Sunday, barring Palestinian workers from the town as a security measure.

An initial investigation of the incident had led the police and Israel Security Agency to conclude the attack had been “nationalistic” in nature.

“This is a difficult incident,” said Shlomi Michael, chief of the police’s Judea and Samaria District. “We will do all in our power to get our hands on the attacker.”

A stabbing attack has been reported at the Gush Etzion Junction, which has seen many terror attacks in recent months.

A young Israeli man was seriously wounded in his upper body and recieved treatment at the scene.

The terrorist was shot and moderately wounded by an armed civilian who was present at the scene of attack.

A 17.5-year-old Palestinian from the village of Yatta near Hebron was arrested two weeks ago, on suspicion of carrying out a stabbing attack in Rahat that left an Israeli woman wounded. The arrest has now been cleared for publication.

The attack took place at a market in the predominantly Bedouin town of Rahat on Saturday, February 6, and left 65-year-old shopper Shlomit Gonen from the nearby kibbutz of Mishmar HaNegev lightly wounded.

Israel Police and the Israel Security Agency (ISA) pursued the terrorist in a four-day effort until they made the arrest on February 10. The suspect linked himself to the attack and led the investigators to the knife he used during the stabbing.

The suspect also said he was affected by videos of terror attacks and propaganda materials he saw on television, including on the Al-Aqsa channel. He also said that in recent months, as well as during Operation Protective Edge in Gaza in 2014, he participated along with family members in violent riots against IDF forces in Judea and Samaria.

He also said that he and his family used a breach in the security fence to get to the southern city of Rahat and stay there illegally.

According to the police, the suspect will be indicted over the next few days.