Six people were killed and at least a dozen others wounded Monday when two Palestinian gunmen opened fire on commuters waiting at a crowded bus stop in East Jerusalem’s Ramot Junction.
The attackers were quickly shot dead by security forces, including an off-duty soldier and an armed civilian, Israeli officials confirmed.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the scene within hours of the assault, describing it as a calculated act of terror. He announced that Israeli forces had sealed off several villages in the West Bank where the gunmen were believed to have lived, and that a wider search was underway to track down anyone suspected of aiding the assailants.
“We will pursue all who sent and supported them, and we will respond with even greater force,” Netanyahu said.
Israeli military operations have since intensified around villages including al-Qubeiba and Qatanna near Ramallah, areas that officials say may be tied to the militant networks linked to the shooting.
The violence drew swift international condemnation. Leaders from the United States, United Arab Emirates, France, and Germany urged restraint and called for an immediate halt to escalating bloodshed in the region.
The attack adds to mounting tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, with concerns that renewed cycles of violence could further destabilize the already fragile situation.
