One man was killed and another critically wounded Wednesday when an explosives-laden motorcycle exploded next to them in Ashkelon.

Police named the victim killed in the bombing as Arik Korkus, 33. Both Korkus and the critically wounded man have criminal backgrounds, and police believe the incident is criminal in nature.

The explosion occurred around noon and initially was believed to be a Qassam rocket strike on the city. Paramedics who arrived on the scene discovered the frame of the exploded motorcycle, with indications that the explosion came from within the motorcycle.

	Advertisement

Rescue personnel evacuated two critically wounded men to an Ashkelon hospital, but one succumbed to his wounds en route. A number of bystanders who were in the area at the time of the explosion were treated for shock.

Police suspect a bomb was attached to the motorcycle as part of an ongoing struggle between two rival criminal gangs in the city.