At least five people have been killed and seven others critically injured after Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a bus stop in northern Jerusalem, according to Israeli police and emergency services.
Magen David Adom, Israel’s ambulance service, said the victims included three men in their 30s, a woman in her 50s, and a man of similar age.
Nine people suffering from gunshot wounds were rushed to hospitals, while three others sustained injuries from shattered glass.
Police reported that two armed attackers drove to Ramot Junction, near the city’s northern entrance, and began shooting indiscriminately at civilians waiting at the stop.
A security officer and an armed civilian returned fire, killing both assailants.
Although no group has officially claimed responsibility, Hamas praised the incident, describing it as a “heroic operation” and a “natural response to Israeli aggression.”
A heavy police presence was quickly deployed to the scene, with bomb disposal experts checking for additional threats and forensic teams collecting evidence.
The Israeli military confirmed that soldiers had also been sent to assist and were conducting joint operations with police, including searches around Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.
Local media suggested the gunmen may have originated from the nearby villages of al-Qubeiba and Qatanna, located roughly 10km west of Ramot Junction.
Police Assistant Commissioner Shlomi Bachar told Channel 12 that investigators were working to establish how the attackers reached the city and who may have supported them.
“I believe very soon we will reach everyone involved,” he said, as reported by the Times of Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency security meeting following the shooting.
International condemnation has already begun, with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul denouncing the attack as a “cowardly act of terrorism” and extending condolences to the victims’ families.