Violence erupts at Jerusalem bus station, claims six lives; assailants open fire
In a shocking turn of events, East Jerusalem witnessed a violent incident on Monday when two Palestinian men opened fire at a bus station. The attack, one of the deadliest in Jerusalem since the start of the Gaza war, resulted in six fatalities and more than a dozen injuries.
The attack occurred at the entrance to the Ramot neighbourhood in East Jerusalem. According to paramedic Fadi Dekaidek, wounded people were on the ground and on the sidewalk near a bus stop. Magen David Adom indicated that there are eight injured, five of them serious.
Local media published the identities of four of the victims, who were ultra-Orthodox Jews. Among them was Yaakov Pinto, a recent immigrant from Spain. The detailed personal identities of the two attackers were not publicly disclosed by authorities.
President Isaac Herzog tweeted that the attack "reminds us that we are fighting against absolute evil." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared, "We are at war against terrorism on several fronts." Netanyahu visited the scene of the attack after a meeting with security officials.
In a statement, Hamas congratulated itself on the attack but did not claim responsibility. The movement stated that the attack was a "natural response to the crimes of the occupation and the genocide it is carrying out against our people."
The police declared that a security agent and a civilian returned fire and neutralized the attackers. The Israeli army is currently searching for suspects in the attack zone and has surrounded Palestinian towns in the Ramallah region of the occupied West Bank.
France, Germany, and the European Union have condemned the attack. The EU closed its Jerusalem office for Palestinian affairs, symbolizing Washington's support for Israel as it wages an offensive in Gaza.
The attack was reported by Roberto Sánchez O. on Twitter, including a picture and stating that more than 15 people were injured. The Islamic Palestinian movement Hamas has remained silent on its involvement in the attack.
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