“The attack took place on four different sites where six people were stabbed… A short time ago, the police located the suspect and neutralised him by shooting,” a police statement said.

“We treated several injured individuals in varying conditions,” emergency service provider Magen David Adom said.

“We provided life-saving medical treatment and began transporting them to Hillel Yaffe Medical Center,” it added.

Far-right national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir later praised the armed civilians who shot the alleged assailant to stop the attack, while bemoaning the suspect’s survival.

“In this case, unfortunately, the terrorist is not dead, but the presence of civilians with so many weapons on the scene saves lives,” the minister said on a visit to Hadera police station, according to footage posted to his social media.

Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said the security forces remain on “high alert” after the stabbing, which he blamed on incitement by Hamas.

“These attacks are the results of incessant incitement by Hamas. They will not succeed,” the spokesman said.

Hamas later praised the attack, saying it was a “heroic stabbing operation” and calling “for more painful strikes against the occupation”.

Israeli authorities have not provided information about the suspect but Israeli media identified him as Ahmad Jabareen, 36, an Israeli citizen from the Arab town of Umm al-Fahm.

The attack comes more than a week after seven people were killed in a shooting and stabbing claimed by Hamas in the Israeli commercial hub Tel Aviv.

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