Israeli police officers stand guard at the scene of a shooting attack in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, June 8, 2016. Two Palestinian gunmen opened fire in central Tel Aviv Wednesday night, killing three... (Associated Press) 
 
 JERUSALEM (AP) — Two Palestinian gunmen opened fire near a popular open-air market in central Tel Aviv on Wednesday night, killing three Israelis and wounding at least five others before being detained, Israel police said. 
 
 "Two terrorists opened fire at civilians," Tel Aviv district police commander Moshe Edri said, adding that one of the detained attackers was being treated for a gunfire wound. 
 
 Police had initially said there might be a third attacker but later ruled that out. Tel Aviv's Ichilov Hospital said four of the wounded Israelis are in critical condition. 
 
 Meital Sassi told Channel 10 TV she was out with her family celebrating her son's birthday at the Sarona market when she heard shots and "immediately understood it was a terror attack." 
 
 "We ran like lighting with the baby and the stroller," she said. "I yelled at people who didn't understand what was happening to run." 
 
 The Ynet news website showed CCTV footage of civilians running into a nearby restaurant to take cover. 
 
 Shlomi Hajaj, director of the market, told Channel 10 that security guards at the entrance "prevented the attackers from entering the facility, averting a bigger disaster as the compound was packed with people." 
 
 Channel 10 cited witnesses as saying the two attackers were dressed in suits and ties and spent time in a nearby restaurant, sitting at the bar, before the attack. It showed footage of forensic teams dressed in white suits examining items in restaurants at the scene. 
 
 Police said the two gunmen were members of the same family from the Palestinian village of Yatta, near the West Bank town of Hebron, which has been a flashpoint for violence in recent months. 
 
 Over the last eight months Palestinian attacks, mostly stabbings, have killed 31 Israelis and two Americans. About 200 Palestinians have been killed during that time, most identified as attackers by Israel. 
 
 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with his defense minister and security leaders shortly after the attack. 
 
 U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner condemned the "horrific terrorist attack" in a statement, saying "cowardly attacks against innocent civilians can never be justified." 
 
 ___ 
 
 This story has been corrected to show that the name of the market is Sarona, not Sharona. ||||| Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. 
 
 June 8, 2016, 7:32 PM GMT / Updated June 9, 2016, 12:03 AM GMT / Source: Reuters By Paul Goldman and Lawahez Jabari 
 
 Four Israelis were reported killed and several others were wounded Wednesday night in a gun attack in an Israeli shopping mall, police said. 
 
 Two attackers, whom police described as relatives in their 20s from the Hebron area, were captured. 
 
 The attack took place at the Sarona Market, a popular indoor/outdoor culinary market in central Tel Aviv that draws crowds of shoppers and diners, officials said. The mall is near national military headquarters. 
 
 “Two terrorists opened fire at civilians," Tel Aviv district police commander Moshe Edri said, adding that one of the detained attackers was being treated for a gunfire wound. 
 
 Among the developments: 
 
 Police said the gunmen were Palestinians from village of Yatta, near the city of Hebron in the West Bank. 
 
 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with his defense minister and security leaders and then traveled to the scene. He called the attack a "cold blooded murder by despicable terrorists." 
 
 Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza, welcomed the attack but did not claim responsibility for it. 
 
 The U.S. condemned the "horrific terrorist attack" and said it is in contact with Israeli authorities. 
 
 A witness, Avraham Liber, said he was sitting at the restaurant Max Brenner with friends when he heard gunshots and saw one of the attackers rise from a seat at a nearby cafe. 
 
 "He got up, he had a rifle in his hand," Liber said. "He was just shooting point blank at people sitting down." 
 
 Yoni Yagodovsky, a spokesman for Israel's emergency rescue service, Magen David Adom, told MSNBC that in addition to the dead there were several wounded, some of them seriously. Because people scattered from the gunfire, rescue workers found victims in about five different areas of the mall, he said. 
 
 Another witness, Eyal Oved, told Reuters that he was attending a business meeting when he heard what sounded like a machine gun firing 30 or 40 rounds. He ran to the scene and saw two people wounded in a restaurant. 
 
 Israeli security forces at the shooting scene. JACK GUEZ / AFP - Getty Images 
 
 A police spokesman confirmed four Israelis were killed in the attack. 
 
 Netanyahu called the attack "a savage crime" and said the bloodshed could have been worse but for the "the resolute action of citizens, of security people, police." 
 
 "This is a savage crime of murder and terrorism in the heart of Tel Aviv. It’s done by criminal terrorists who don’t value human life, who are willing to murder innocent citizens who were sitting in a coffee shop," Netanyahu said. 
 
 "We are going to take the necessary steps to attack the attackers and to defend those who need to be defended," he said. 
 
 The U.S. State Department condemned the attack and said the U.S. is in contact with Israeli authorities. 
 
 "The United States condemns today’s horrific terrorist attack in Tel Aviv in the strongest possible terms," State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in a statement. "These cowardly attacks against innocent civilians can never be justified," Toner said. 
 
 The attack raised concerns of a renewal of street attacks by Palestinians against Israelis. While Hamas did not claim responsibility, the group later issued an official statement promising the "Zionists" with more "surprises" in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. 
 
 A series of stabbings began last October and lasted several months. The attacks left 28 Israelis and two Americans dead, the AP reported; about 200 Palestinians, most of whom the government described as attackers, were killed during that time. 
 
 Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, called on the Security Council to condemn the attack and drew comparisons to terror attacks in other cities. 
 
 "Today’s heinous attack sadly proves that when the international community refuses to condemn terror against Israelis, the next attack is only a matter of time," Danon said in a statement. "Terror in Tel Aviv must be treated the same as terror in Paris or Istanbul." 
 
 U.S. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon did condemn the attack, and expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and the government of Israel. "There is no justification for terrorism nor for the glorification of those who commit such heinous acts," his spokesperson said in a statement. 
 
 "The Secretary-General is shocked that the leaders of Hamas have chosen to welcome this attack and some have chosen to celebrate it," the statement said. "He calls upon the Palestinian leadership to live up to their responsibility to stand firmly against violence and the incitement that fuels it." 
 
 Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai visited Ichilov Hospital after the shooting, vowing that the city would "continue with our lives." He said additional forces were on hand in response to the attacks. 
 
 Tel Aviv's city hall was illuminated with the flag of Israel overnight. "Sad night, but this city WILL NOT stop!" the city announced on its Twitter page. 
 
 Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton condemned the "heinous terrorist attack." She said in a statement she stands "in unwavering support of the country’s right to defend itself," and said "Israel’s security must remain non-negotiable." 
 
 This story is developing, check back for updates ||||| Dear Reader, As you can imagine, more people are reading The Jerusalem Post than ever before. Nevertheless, traditional business models are no longer sustainable and high-quality publications, like ours, are being forced to look for new ways to keep going. Unlike many other news organizations, we have not put up a paywall. We want to keep our journalism open and accessible and be able to keep providing you with news and analyses from the frontlines of Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World. 
 
 Following the deadly terrorist shooting in Tel Aviv on Wednesday night that left four people dead and several others wounded, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Maj.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai, cancelled the easing of some security restrictions that were in place for the Muslim month of Ramadan. 
 
 
 
 After an evaluation held by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. 
 
 Gadi Eisenkot, Mordechai ordered the freezing of 204 entrance permits for relatives of the attackers. Additionally, 83,000 permits for Palestinians in the West Bank to visit family members in Gaza have been revoked, and all easing of security measures for Gaza Strip residents during Ramadan, particularly access to Temple Mount prayers, have been cancelled.The coordinated terrorist assault on Tel Aviv’s Sarona Market Wednesday evening is one of the deadliest attacks in the city since Palestinian violence erupted last October.Tel Aviv Police head Asst.-Ch. Moshe Edri called the shooting a “serious terrorist attack,” saying that two terrorists came to the market and opened fire randomly at civilians. Eyewitnesses said that the terrorists were disguised as religious Jews and wore kippot.Edri said the police did not have warnings of a terrorist attack at the site. He said police have increased deployments in the city but that school would be open on Thursday and people can keep their normal routine, though he also implored the public to exercise caution and to report suspicious persons.The two attackers were relatives from Yata in the South Hebron Hills and were said to be in their twenties.The Hebron area is a known Hamas stronghold.A number of the wounded were sitting in a single café at the location when they were shot. Gunshots were also reported on Ha’arbaa Street next to the Cinematheque, where at least one of the attackers was arrested after fleeing the scene.Mayor Ron Huldai said that while Tel Aviv “is a target for terrorists, we will continue to live in this city... terrorism will not defeat us and we must strive for peace.”Dr. Pini Halperin, head of the emergency room at Ichilov Hospital, said the hospital received 10 wounded people, three of whom later died of their wounds. He said one of the terrorists was among the wounded being treated in the hospital, and was listed in serious condition on Wednesday night.Police could not confirm reports that the attackers were disguised as haredi men. Videos shot by civilians showed the shooting of one of the attackers not far from the shopping center.United Hatzalah medic Davidi Dahan said when he arrived at the scene he saw “two young people who were suffering from gunshot wounds outside of a restaurant at the Sarona Market. We treated them – as well as numerous other individuals who were suffering from shock.”MK Itzik Shmuly was nearby when the shooting began. He said he was walking down Ha’arbaa Street when he heard gunshots.“People started running hysterically in all directions, and I saw what looked like a chase after the terrorist, but I didn’t see him,” he recounted. “Then they took a lot of people to the parking lot to be treated for shock. I went in to try to calm people down.”Shmuly said many people were nervous because of “disinformation that there’s another terrorist walking around,” but that he was unable to get any confirmation if that was true or not.Police said the investigation is ongoing.MK Amir Ohana, a former Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) agent, drove to the site of the attack after hearing about it while in his car not far away.“The scene was totally upside down: chairs overturned, broken glass, half-eaten cakes left on tables, and a ton of blood,” he described. “I could see that terrorists shot with automatic weapons, and they were caught soon after.”He said there was nothing for him to do to help once he had arrived, because Magen David Adom “worked very fast, did great work.”Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landed in Israel Wednesday evening from his trip to Moscow to news of the terrorist attack. He headed straight to the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv for consultations with Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman and Shin Bet director Nadav Argaman The attack is the first terrorist shooting in Tel Aviv since New Year’s Day, when Israeli Arab Nashat Milhem opened fire at a Dizengoff bar, killing two before murdering a cab driver.Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report. 
 
 Join Jerusalem Post Premium Plus now for just $5 and upgrade your experience with an ads-free website and exclusive content. Click here>> 
 
 
 
 ||||| Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Footage shows a large number of emergency services personnel at the scene 
 
 Two Palestinian gunmen killed four people and wounded six others after opening fire at a popular open-air shopping and restaurant area of central Tel Aviv, Israeli authorities say. 
 
 The attacks took place in two locations in Sarona Market, close to Israel's defence ministry and main army HQ. 
 
 Police said the gunmen were from Yatta, a Palestinian village near the West Bank town of Hebron. 
 
 Both are in custody. One is undergoing surgery in hospital, police added. 
 
 There has been a rise in Palestinian attacks on Israelis since last year, with a series of shootings, stabbings and car rammings, although the number of incidents had dropped in recent months. 
 
 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited the scene of the attack late on Wednesday, called it "a savage crime of murder and terrorism". 
 
 'Ran like lightning' 
 
 The attacks happened at around 21:30 (18:30 GMT) as people were relaxing in the market's restaurants and bars. 
 
 Video footage showed crowds running from the scene and ambulances arriving. Pictures showed upturned tables and chairs at one restaurant. 
 
 One woman told Israel's Channel 10 TV that she had been celebrating her son's birthday when she heard shots and "immediately understood it was a terror attack". 
 
 "We ran like lightning with the baby and the stroller," Meital Sassi said. "I yelled at people who didn't understand what was happening to run." 
 
 Image copyright AFP Image caption An Israeli forensic police officer inspects the scene of the shooting 
 
 Image copyright AFP Image caption Two attackers are now in custody, say police 
 
 Ichilov hospital said four wounded people brought there had died and at least four others were in a critical condition. 
 
 Tel Aviv police chief Chico Edri called it a "pretty serious terrorist incident" but said fears of a third attacker were unfounded. 
 
 "Two terrorists arrived at the complex and while firing, and to our regret, nine people were injured to different degrees," he said. 
 
 "Of the two terrorists, one was arrested and the other wounded by gunfire. The weapons they were carrying have been seized." 
 
 The director of the market, Shlomi Hajaj, told Channel 10 that security guards at the entrance had "prevented the attackers from entering the facility, averting a bigger disaster as the compound was packed with people". 
 
 "I think a larger tragedy was avoided by the resolute action of citizens, of security people, police," said Mr Netanyahu. 
 
 "We're going to take the necessary steps to attack the attackers and defend those who need to be defended."
– Four people were killed when two Palestinian men opened fire outside a popular market Wednesday night in Tel Aviv, NBC News reports. The BBC quotes the city's police chief, who calls the attack a "pretty serious terrorist incident." A handful of other people were injured—some very seriously—in the attack, according to the Jerusalem Post. The two gunmen were both apprehended. One had been shot and wounded. An armed civilian had reportedly fired at one of the attackers. Witnesses say the shooters wore white suits and were hanging out at a restaurant before opening fire, the AP reports. "He got up, he had a rifle in his hand," NBC quotes a diner as saying. "He was just shooting point blank at people sitting down." Another witness said he heard 30 to 40 rounds fired. "We ran like lighting with the baby and the stroller," says a mother who was out celebrating her son's birthday, per AP. "I yelled at people who didn't understand what was happening to run." The director of the Sarona market says security guards kept the shooters from entering the market, preventing the violence from being worse. It was the first shooting in Tel Aviv since New Year's Day.