A morning of chaos in Jerusalem as gunmen opened fire at a busy bus stop, leading to a deadly confrontation.
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UPDATE AT 8:00 AM – A shooting incident at a bus stop in Jerusalem on Monday resulted in six fatalities and twelve injuries. The attack took place during the morning rush hour, a period marked by heavy commuter traffic. Eyewitnesses reported scenes of panic as people fled the area while gunmen fired indiscriminately.
Attack Details and Immediate Response
Our reporters on scene confirm that two assailants opened fire on civilians waiting at a bus stop near a major intersection close to Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem. The violence was met swiftly with resistance; an Israeli soldier and several civilians returned fire, killing both attackers at the scene.
Police later apprehended a third individual connected to the incident, though their role remains unclear.
Video footage captured during the event shows a scene of chaos, with shattered glass and personal belongings scattered across the ground. The windshield of a nearby bus was left riddled with bullet holes, emphasizing the gravity of the attack.
Paramedics described the scene as chaotic, with victims lying unconscious on the road and sidewalks.
Political Reactions and Security Measures
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar confirmed that the attackers were Palestinian. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at the scene approximately two hours after the shooting, postponing his scheduled court appearance for an ongoing corruption trial. “We are fighting a war on multiple fronts,” Netanyahu stated, referencing escalating violence in Gaza, the West Bank, and within Israel itself.
In the aftermath of the attack, hundreds of security personnel were deployed to search for potential accomplices or explosives. By the afternoon, police reported the arrest of a resident from East Jerusalem in connection with the shooting. The Israeli military has since intensified its presence by encircling Palestinian villages on the outskirts of Ramallah.
Context of Escalating Violence
This incident marks the deadliest shooting in Israel since October 2024 and occurs against a backdrop of increasing regional violence. The ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in a surge of attacks against Israelis, as well as retaliatory violence against Palestinians. Hamas has praised the attack, calling it a “natural response to the occupation’s crimes against our people,” although it has not officially claimed responsibility.
On the same day, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported that Israeli forces shot and killed two 14-year-old Palestinians in Jenin during a military operation, further escalating tensions. The Israeli military asserts that the individuals posed a threat, but details of this threat remain ambiguous.
Statistics from the UN humanitarian office indicate that since the war’s onset in October 2023, at least 49 Israelis, including soldiers and police, have been killed by Palestinians. Conversely, Israeli forces and civilians have reportedly killed at least 968 Palestinians during the same period, a figure that includes both militants and innocent bystanders.
The cycle of violence continues to engulf both Israelis and Palestinians, leaving a trail of grief and uncertainty in its wake.
