Jerusalem witnessed a horrifying terrorist attack on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of at least two individuals and leaving eight others wounded, five of them in serious condition.
The assailants, identified as brothers Murad Namr (38) and Ibrahim Namr (30), both Hamas members with a history of terror activity, carried out the shooting near a bus stop on the western side of Jerusalem during the morning rush hour, as per Mail Online.
Jerusalem Bus Stop Shooting Renews Regional Tensions
Israeli police swiftly responded to the incident, neutralizing the attackers on the spot. The victims include a 24-year-old woman who died at the scene and a man in his 70s, succumbing to his injuries at Shaare Zedek Hospital.
Two elderly individuals are among the casualties, with six others injured during the rush-hour assault. The US Ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, condemned the attack, describing it as an "abhorrent terrorist attack" and expressing condolences to the affected families.
Authorities reported that the attackers, armed and arriving at the scene in a vehicle, targeted civilians waiting at the bus stop. The Israeli police, security forces and a nearby civilian acted swiftly to neutralize the assailants.
Ambulances and law enforcement quickly converged at the scene, with authorities conducting a thorough search to ensure there were no additional attackers.
The tragic incident adds to the escalating tensions in the region, particularly in the West Bank, following recent attacks and the bombardment of Gaza. According to the Palestinian health ministry, over 240 Palestinians have been killed, and at least 3,000 others injured in the ongoing conflict.
The situation further intensified with the latest deaths of an eight-year-old boy and a teenager in the occupied territory. Israel claimed it responded with live fire after suspects hurled explosive devices toward troops, resulting in the deaths of the two young individuals. However, reports did not specify if the response was directly related to the boys, as they were not seen throwing anything.
Separately, the military reported the killing of two Islamic Jihad militants during a raid. Palestinian prisoners released as part of the truce with Israel have been arriving in the West Bank in recent days.
Among them is Ahed Tamimi, a 22-year-old activist who gained worldwide fame in 2017 after a video of her slapping an Israeli soldier went viral on social media, according to The Telegraph.
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Recent Truce Releases Mostly Palestinian Teenagers
Tamimi was arrested on November 6 for "incitement to terrorism" on her Instagram account, with her mother claiming her account had been hacked.
The majority of the Palestinians released under the truce have been teenagers accused of engaging in confrontations with Israeli forces, along with several women convicted by Israeli military courts of attempting to attack soldiers.
The attack in Jerusalem occurred along a main highway at the entrance to the holy city, resulting in the deaths of a 24-year-old woman, a man in his 70s, and an older woman, with four others seriously injured, according to Magen David Adom, Israel's national emergency medical service. The police also killed two gunmen.
CCTV footage captured the horrifying moment the two gunmen emerged from a white car parked alongside the bus stop and began firing on those waiting. Panic ensued as people fled the scene before the assailants retreated to the car, where they were eventually gunned down.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared that Israel is "at war on all fronts" in response to the shooting. The incident occurred shortly after the extension of a ceasefire with Hamas for the seventh day. Smotrich emphasized the commitment to pursue and destroy enemies, asserting Israel's determination for total victory on all fronts.
The Shin Bet security agency told The Times of Israel that the two assailants were Hamas members who had been confined for terrorist activities in the past. The perpetrators, identified as Sur Baher, East Jerusalem, brothers Murad Namr and Ibrahim Namr, had a prior record of involvement in the organization and implementation of terrorist operations.
The international community condemns this act of terror, and the incident underscores the ongoing challenges in the region despite diplomatic efforts to maintain ceasefires and truces, Mirror reported.
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