The shooting took place on Dizengoff Street, turning an area full of people normally out for Thursday night into bars, restaurants and cafes along the popular street in a scene of chaos and panic. As the street was filled with ambulances and rescuers, police searched for a gunman believed to have escaped, going door to door and telling people to stay inside and lock their doors. The attack began when at least one gunman arrived at Ilka, a popular bar with a large outdoor seating area, and opened fire. “We sank under the tables and people started crying, it was horrible,” said Evelyn Gertz, 34, who was dining next door. Get the Times of Israel Daily E-mail and never miss our top stories By registering, you agree to the terms Ten people were rushed to nearby Ichilov Hospital with gunshot wounds, two of whom later died, the hospital said. Four others were found in critical condition and underwent surgery, according to the hospital. Two were seriously injured and two were slightly injured. Four other people with minor injuries were taken to Wolfson Hospital in Holon and Sheba Hospital in Tel Hashomer. Police described the incident as a nationalist-motivated terrorist attack, although the identity of the perpetrator or perpetrators was not immediately known. An employee at Ilka told Channel 12 News that he saw at least two assailants, at least one of whom opened fire from a pistol. Initial reports said at least one perpetrator had been “neutralized”, but police told locals to remain in fear that the gunmen might still be free. Police Chief Yaakov Shabtai arrived at the scene and called on the public to remain vigilant and report any suspects. Medical vehicles show up on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv after a reported shooting, April 7, 2022 (United Hatzalah) “A large number of forces are conducting extensive investigations,” Police Chief Rami Ben David told the media. He said people who are still out on the streets should return to their homes. Beneath the scene of the attack, television cameras showed dozens of officers and people in military uniforms gathered with guns outside a building where a suspect is believed to be hiding. Moments earlier, a large explosion, apparently from a flash, was heard on live television. Shots were fired north of the scene of the attack, security forces surrounded a building with guns aimed at the roof @ almog_tamar pic.twitter.com/73wpgX8PeV – Here is the news (@kann_news) April 7, 2022 The attack was the latest to shake Israel after a series of shootings and stabbings in late March that left 11 people dead in a week, the deadliest outbreak of terrorist violence since 2006. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Defense Minister Benny Gantz were at the army headquarters several kilometers from the site, receiving briefings from defense officials. Witnesses described chaos at the scene as gunmen opened fire on restaurants, with people outside for a night on Thursday – the unofficial start of the weekend – sprinting for cover amid panic. Thursday Lev Tel Aviv Civilians leave shooting pic.twitter.com/5Ty7us2hsH – Haim Goldberg (@haim_goldberg) April 7, 2022 “People just started running,” said Daniel Rubenstein, 38. The tour guide, hiding for shelter with others in the stairwell of a nearby apartment building, said he heard gunshots “ten meters behind me” and ran. Footage from security cameras from the scene showed people in Ilka hitting chairs and tables in a hurry to leave. Israeli leaders have voiced fears of a new outbreak of Palestinian terror in recent weeks and have vowed to crack down, also trying to avoid escalating Palestinian anger during the holy month of Ramadan. The shooting shattered tensions since March 28 when a Palestinian opened fire in the Bnei Brak suburb of Tel Aviv, killing five people. The attacks a few days ago in Khandera and Beersheba, by Israelis believed to have been inspired by the Islamic State, left six others dead. Foreign envoys to Israel immediately condemned the attack. “I am horrified to see another cowardly terrorist attack on innocent civilians, this time in Tel Aviv. We pray for peace and send our condolences to the victims and their families. “This must stop,” US Ambassador Tom Nides wrote on Twitter. EU Ambassador Dimitar Tzantchev said he was “deeply concerned” by reports of another terrorist attack on Israeli civilians, this time in the heart of Tel Aviv. Scary.” We tell a critical story Israel is now a much more important player on the world stage than its size suggests. As a Diplomatic Correspondent for the Times of Israel, I am well aware that Israel’s security, strategy and national interests are always under scrutiny and have serious implications. 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