Islamic Hamas movement on Wednesday hailed the stabbing attack in Tel Aviv and described it as "a brave and heroic operation and a response to Israeli terrorism."

Sami Abu Zuhri, the Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said in an emailed press statement that "it is a heroic operation and it is the natural reaction to the Israeli terrorism."

An Israeli Radio quoted Israeli police sources as saying that a Palestinian from the northern West Bank city of Tul Karem carried out a stabbing attack inside a bus in Tel Aviv and wounded at least 13 Israelis, six seriously.

The source said that a man with a knife got into a bus and stabbed passengers and the driver, adding the suspect was shot in the leg and detained by the police.

Izat al-Resheg, a senior Hamas leader, also wrote on his Facebook page that "the stabbing operation is a brave and heroic operation and it is a natural response to the crimes and terrorism of the Israeli occupation against our people."

The pro-Hamas Popular Resistance Committees based in Gaza said in an emailed press statement that the stabbing attack in Tel Aviv "is a clear message to the Zionists that they will never live secure on our lands."