A terrorist attack in the ultra-Orthodox city of Elad in central Israel which killed three people and injured four others was "barbarous and unacceptable," Italy's foreign minister Luigi Di Maio tweeted on Friday.
"Israel has been struck by a barbarous attack on the day it was celebrating its independence. My thoughts and sympathies are with the victims of this unacceptable violence and their families. Italy stands with Israel and its people in the fight against terrorism," the tweet added.
Israeli forces were reported to have launched a manhunt for two Palestinians suspects in connection with the axe and gun attack.
The attack was the latest in a spate of street attacks that have caused tensions to soar since March in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
