Posted on 11/01/2004 2:40:57 AM PST by zyaakov
Three people were reportedly killed and over 32 wounded when a large explosion occurred in the Carmel Market in Central Tel Aviv just after 11:21 a.m. Monday.
Police said a body of a suspected male suicide bomber has been found at the scene.
Yossi Cohen, head of Magen David Adom Dan Region, said 45 ambulances arrived at the scene. He said the ambulances managed to evacuate the seriously wounded in 10 minutes, but it was difficult to get in through the narrow and crowded streets to evacuate the rest of the wounded.
Eighteen wounded people arrived at Ichilov Hospital, seven of them suffering serious or critical wounds. Four other wounded people who arrived at the hospital where suffering moderate wounds.[Scroll down for emergency numbers].
The explosion occurred at a stall on the corners of Nahlat Binyamin and Ha'Carmel streets, at the center of the crowded outdoor market.
Police suspect that there may be other bombs or potential bombers in the area and are conducting searches. Residents have been asked to stay away from the area.
Hamoud Abu-Hana, a worker at one of the stalls in the market, said he heard a loud explosion and saw people lying wounded on the ground. "Somebody was bleeding from the ear so I took off my shirt, ripped it and stopped the bleeding," Abu-Hana said.
People were seen continuing to do their shopping in the market a short time after the explosion occurred.
Tel Aviv Police chief Cmdr. David Tzur confirmed the event was a terror attack. "A suicide bomber exploded next to a vegetable stand inside the market," Tzur said.
"It's a suicide bomber, a man. There was only one bomber. He blew himself up amidst people who were busy buying their groceries. We have 4 to 5 people killed, including the suicide bomber. We have already cleared all the wounded. The speed at which the emergency services arrived allowed a quick evacuation of the wounded. We had no prior warnings of an attack on this area. There is a police station at the market whose officers conduct patrols. The investigation into the attack has begun. We have many cases of security forces thwarting attacks, and if somebody breaks through it means they have gone through a thick layer of defense," Tzur said.
"I want to say to all those who employ Palestinians who do not have the required permits to enter Israel: Please put a stop to this. These Palestinians give terrorists information and assist them in arriving into Israel," Tzur said, adding that at this moment it wasn't clear how the suicide bomber arrived at the scene.
The security establishment registered 44 terror alerts as of Monday morning. Two Palestinian would-be bombers were arrested this past week in the West Bank, Army Radio reported. Officials in Jerusalem said there was no connection between Monday's attack and PA Chairman Yasser Arafat's condition.
Police said there were no specific warnings for the Carmel market. Police have set up checkpoints in the area.
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