The Palestinian group Hamas has asserted responsibility for a fatal gun attack in Jerusalem, resulting in the deaths of at least three individuals on Thursday.
According to reports from Israeli sources, the attack also left several others injured, including two soldiers who sustained minor injuries in a car assault at a checkpoint.
The initial incident unfolded on the western outskirts of Jerusalem, an area devoid of checkpoints. Law enforcement and rescue personnel revealed that two Palestinian assailants opened fire at a bus stop, claiming the lives of a 73-year-old man and two women aged 67 and 24.
Hamas formally claimed responsibility a few hours later, attributing the attack to two brothers who, they argued, were responding “naturally” to what they deemed “unprecedented crimes” committed by occupying forces in the Gaza Strip and against children in Jenin, a city in the West Bank under Israeli occupation since 1967.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the situation on Telegram, credited the swift intervention of two soldiers and a civilian for averting a potentially more severe attack. He announced a commitment to continue expanding the distribution of weapons to citizens in his government’s ongoing efforts.
Shortly after the initial incident, a separate attack occurred at a checkpoint in the West Bank, resulting in two soldiers sustaining minor injuries from a car assault. The military on the scene utilized gunfire to “neutralize” the attacker, who was subsequently apprehended. The injured soldiers received prompt medical attention, and the checkpoint area underwent an extensive search for any additional suspects.
These incidents unfolded shortly after an extension of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which had been in effect since Friday. The background to the attacks traces back to October 7, when hundreds of Hamas fighters crossed into Israel, committing atrocities primarily against civilians. In response, Israel launched extensive bombings on targets in the Gaza Strip in the subsequent weeks.
