Two officers, a male and a female, were declared dead at the scene, while a male officer in his 50s was later pronounced dead at Soroka Medical Center.

No injuries were reported in the late-night incident, but the vehicle suffered damage.

“What happened is nothing else than an overt miracle from the heavens,” said one yeshiva student.

The incident took place on a main highway some nine miles north of Jerusalem.

“We are in a kind of miracle that the incident did not end in dozens of deaths,” said Ayalon District Police Commander Haim Bublil.

The terrorist, a 35-year-old resident of the village of Salfit in Samaria, was neutralized by a police officer.

Israeli forces are searching for the terrorist, who fled after shooting and stabbing a 50-year-old man. The victim was evacuated to hospital in serious condition.

One victim was critically injured.

The assailant was shot dead, according to police.