"We commend the special operation in Beersheba that was carried out by one of our heroes from within the occupied territories," Obaida said.

The attack was reportedly carried out by an Arab-Palestinian man who stabbed a soldier then took her gun and opened fire near a bus terminal in the northern Negev city of Beersheba.

"Our confidence in the patriotism of our people in the occupied Palestine of 1948 is firm and has not wavered," he said, referring to the Palestinians who remained in Israel following the Nakba and Israel’s creation in 1948.

He added that "he was confident young Arab Palestinians who remain inside Israel can find means to hurt the occupier and support their people in Gaza."

Today's attack took place near a McDonald’s inside Beersheba’s central bus station terminal, BBC News reported.

The man behind the attack was identified as Ahmad Al-Uqbi, 29, an Arab Palestinian man who holds Israeli citizenship, Israeli media said quoting authorities.

Al-Uqbi comes from a Bedouin village near the town of Lakiya in the northern Negev region of Israel, authorities added.

Besides the assailant, an Eritrean national mistaken by Israeli forces to be taking part in the attack was also shot and killed, media noted.

Earlier on Sunday, Israeli airstrikes on shelters for displaced Palestinians in and around Jabalia in northern Gaza killed and wounded tens of civilians.

Israel has launched a major ground offensive across northern Gaza in the last 24 hours.

Abu Obeida's statements come a day before the one year anniversary of the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, which killed and wounded more than 140,000 Palestinians in the strip - mostly women and children. 

Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli military said it deployed more troops in southern communities and areas bordering Gaza ahead of the 7 October war anniversary.

"The Southern Command remains at a heightened state of vigilance and readiness for the coming days," commanding officer Major General Yaron Finkelman was quoted as saying.

The Beersheba attack was the second deadly, stabbing-shooting attack on Israelis in an Israeli city in less than a week.

On Tuesday, two Palestinian men killed seven and wounded 17 others in an attack near Tel Aviv's light rail station in Jaffa.