Hamas claims responsibility for Jerusalem shooting which killed three | Israel | The Guardian
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Two attackers, reportedly brothers from East Jerusalem, killed at scene, after they opened fire on people at a bus stop
Three people were killed and 13 injured after two brothers from East Jerusalem shot at people waiting at a bus stop on a main road towards the western edge of the city in the rush hour, local police and medics reported.
The gunmen were named by the Shin Bet security agency as Murad Namr, 38, and Ibrahim Namr, 30, and described by the intelligence service as members of Hamas. Both were killed on the scene by off-duty soldiers and an armed civilian.
Later on Thursday, Hamas's armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for the attack. The statement posted on the group's Telegram channel said the operation was in response "to the occupation's crimes of killing children and women in Gaza".
Surveillance video footage of the bus stop showed two men getting out of a car at about 7.40am local time, brandishing guns, prompting people to flee in terror before they retreated to the vehicle, where police said they were killed.
The ambulance service said a 24-year-old woman died at the scene, while a 73-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl, critically wounded, were pronounced dead at hospitals shortly after the incident. Media reports named the dead man as Elimelech Wasserman, a rabbinical judge.
Israeli police said the initial investigation indicated the attackers arrived by car and were "armed with an M16 rifle and a handgun". They began shooting at civilians before subsequently being killed at the scene. A search of the car "revealed ammunition and weaponry", the force added.
Shin Bet said the gunmen had been previously jailed for terror activity. The elder brother, Murad, spent 10 years in jail to 2020 for planning terror attacks, under direction from Gaza, while Ibrahim had been jailed in 2014.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's security minister and leader of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, visited the scene and said the attack at the bus stop showed that the country needed to respond to Hamas militarily.
"This type of incident proves again how much we can't show weakness, how much we have to speak to Hamas only through intentions, only through the war," he said, according to the Times of Israel. Ben-Gvir has previously called for an end to the current truce.
He said the attack showed that Israeli civilians should carry guns on the street. "Despite the criticism of all kinds of parties, I will continue this policy of handing out weapons everywhere," he added.
Two hospitals received eight people in the aftermath of the attack, with five described in media reports as having serious injuries.
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Israel will now probably end the truce from their side and continue to bombard Gaza which is well deserved.
Jerusalem is in the West Bank not Gaza.
I think I heard there was a late day 24 hr extension agreed to yesterday, but I don't expect much after that.
I read that as well, but with this Hamas attack Israel may ignore the extension.
I can't say I blame them. I think Hamas wanted to end the truce
Hamas is a step beyond stupid with this killing of Israelis. They will now suffer the consequences.
You can't make peace with terrorists.
Do you think that I'm not well aware of that, probably more than 99% of those commenting.
How does a two-state "solution" protect Israel from the terrorists? What does it do to ensure the safety of Israeli civilians?
I believe that I told you earlier that the Saudi proposal from the early 2000s is a good starting point which covered much of the current problems.
And that protects Israel how exactly?
Obviously the shooters are West Bank Palestinians. Hamas is everywhere it seems and certainly not confined to Gaza
This goes to show the task ahead. Of course Hamas will claim such murders are "revenge" for "killing children and women in Gaza". Who is surprised by this?
The true test will come after a permanent cease fire. If Hamas continues to attack after such a condition then they would justly lose any support. This has to be emphasized.
And by the way, I do not support Hamas in any way shape or form and await the day they are gone from this world. I am just being realistic. You cant kill 10,000 civilians and not expect an eye for an eye, the cycle that continues ad infinitum in that region.
When will folks recognize the fact that Hamas will break the ceasefire at some point just like they did in October??
Why are any thinking adults supporting terrorists now? And who gives a flying fuck about dumbasses who support them?
Have you noticed these are the same people who will agree that terrorists must be destroyed, but when it starts to happen they start shrieking about the violence. Like they don't understand what is needed to destroy terrorists.
Some folks want to negotiate with terrorists and want the rest of us to act as if the terrorists are trustworthy. HA!
Israel was not bothering Gaza before that. That is why they grew complacent about Hamas. Hamas is not Shin Finn. They have no desire to live side by side. And as long as they run Gaza, there will be no peace.
And many Americans seem to be blind to that fact.
Then there is absolutely no reason to call for a cease fire of any kind in this dispute. Israel was attacked, they have every right to defend themselves and destroy those who attacked them.
And that has been something that has been apparent for decades. Yet the people of the area keep brining terrorists in to run their "country".
Netanyahu and the Knesset thought there was:
‘Look us in the eye!’: 30,000 join Gaza hostages’ families on final march into Jerusalem
And that's supposed to end it all? In no world would that even remotely make sense.
No one even hinted that it would end it, Israeli thought that getting the hostage back was important so the temporary cease-fire.
So lets apply some common sense. We know it's failed time and again, so why try it yet another time.
And they got back what, 30? Reality, all it did was allow the terrorists to regroup and rearm. Oh, and amidst all that terrorists were released back into the fight.
Yes, lets apply some common sense. You keep pushing a solution that has failed for close to a hundred years. You should probably change directions.
I believe the figure is closer to 100. I think that you should share your opinion with Netanyahu, the IDF, Mossad, Shin Bet/Shabak, and Aman. They might be interested in your take on it or they might just think what is some bozo from the US trying to tell us our job. They can be touchy at times.
You really believe that Netanyahu can be pressured into that?
Maybe after Hamas is destroyed.
Stupid to do it before then.
You can't trust any numbers coming from the Palestine "authorities".