A deadly shooting attack at a Jerusalem bus stop left six people dead and eight others wounded Monday morning, prompting Israeli leaders to promise tougher security measures against Palestinian militants.
Police said two gunmen drove to the Ramot Junction on the city’s northern edge and opened fire on commuters during rush hour. An off-duty soldier and a civilian at the scene shot back, killing both attackers. Weapons, ammunition, and a knife were recovered at the site, reports the BBC.
The victims included five men aged 25 to 79 and a 60-year-old woman, according to Israeli media. Hospitals reported two of the injured remained in serious condition. Witnesses described panic as gunfire rang out, with dashcam footage showing people fleeing buses and shelters as bullets shattered windows.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the site, calling the assault part of an ongoing conflict. “We are in an intense war against terrorism on several fronts,” he said. Netanyahu added that security forces were sealing off villages near Ramallah suspected of harboring the assailants. “We will apprehend whoever aided and dispatched them, and we will take even stronger steps,” he said.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the attack as the work of “absolute evil,” while French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper issued statements denouncing the killings. Hamas, without claiming responsibility, praised the shooting as a “natural response” to Israeli military operations.
The incident comes as Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least 40 people the same day, including journalist Osama Balousha, according to Palestinian officials. Hamas terrorists still hold at least 20 hostages in Gaza and refuse to release them or to agree to a ceasefire.
The Ramot Junction shooting was among the worst attacks in Jerusalem in recent years. In November 2023, three Israelis were killed in a similar assault at a bus stop in West Jerusalem.
Police said two gunmen drove to the Ramot Junction on the city’s northern edge and opened fire on commuters during rush hour. An off-duty soldier and a civilian at the scene shot back, killing both attackers. Weapons, ammunition, and a knife were recovered at the site, reports the BBC.
The victims included five men aged 25 to 79 and a 60-year-old woman, according to Israeli media. Hospitals reported two of the injured remained in serious condition. Witnesses described panic as gunfire rang out, with dashcam footage showing people fleeing buses and shelters as bullets shattered windows.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the site, calling the assault part of an ongoing conflict. “We are in an intense war against terrorism on several fronts,” he said. Netanyahu added that security forces were sealing off villages near Ramallah suspected of harboring the assailants. “We will apprehend whoever aided and dispatched them, and we will take even stronger steps,” he said.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the attack as the work of “absolute evil,” while French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper issued statements denouncing the killings. Hamas, without claiming responsibility, praised the shooting as a “natural response” to Israeli military operations.
The incident comes as Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least 40 people the same day, including journalist Osama Balousha, according to Palestinian officials. Hamas terrorists still hold at least 20 hostages in Gaza and refuse to release them or to agree to a ceasefire.
The Ramot Junction shooting was among the worst attacks in Jerusalem in recent years. In November 2023, three Israelis were killed in a similar assault at a bus stop in West Jerusalem.
