U.S. citizens among 8 injured in attack in Jerusalem’s Old City

Tom Nides, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, mentioned he was “deeply saddened to verify that Individuals have been injured on this assault.”

“I’ve spoken with the households and can hold them in my prayers,” he mentioned in a statement on Twitter.

Each Nides and the U.S. Workplace of Palestinian Affairs mentioned in statements early Sunday that they strongly condemned what they described as a “terrorist assault.”

A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem declined to supply additional particulars concerning the victims, citing privateness considerations. They spoke on the situation of anonymity in accordance with embassy protocol.

The taking pictures comes lower than every week after Israel and militants within the Gaza Strip reached a tentative truce to finish a number of days of combating that killed a minimum of 47 Palestinians within the blockaded enclave, and amid an ongoing Israeli crackdown within the occupied West Financial institution after violence flared there this spring.

Israel cheers its wins, Gaza mourns its dead as cease-fire holds

On Wednesday, Israeli safety forces utilizing shoulder-launched missiles killed three suspected Palestinian militants within the crowded West Financial institution metropolis of Nablus.

Sunday’s assault in Jerusalem occurred about 1:30 a.m. native time in two areas close to the doorway to the Western Wall, considered one of Judaism’s holiest websites.

A gunman opened hearth on a bus and automobiles by a parking zone, after which bumped into the adjoining Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan, in accordance with Israeli police.

Israel’s emergency medical service mentioned that it handled folks with gunshot wounds on the scene and that seven have been hospitalized.

Two of the injured have been in crucial situation, amongst them a pregnant girl who was shot in her stomach and underwent emergency labor, Israeli media reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid condemned the assault Sunday and warned that “all those that search our hurt ought to know that they may pay a worth for any hurt to our civilians.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) mentioned she was working with the State Division amid experiences that state residents have been among the many injured.

“I’m horrified by the fear assault in Jerusalem, and by the information {that a} household of New Yorkers has been impacted,” she tweeted.

No Palestinian group took duty for the assault, and Israeli police didn’t instantly launch additional particulars concerning the alleged shooter.

A spokesperson for Hamas, the militant group that guidelines Gaza, praised the “heroic operation” towards the “vanity of the occupation’s troopers and extremist settlers.”

U.S.-backed peace plans because the Nineties have referred to as for a Palestinian state in east Jerusalem, the West Financial institution and the Gaza Strip. Israel claims Jerusalem as its undivided capital, which a lot of the worldwide group rejects.

The nation is gearing up for one more spherical of elections, its fifth in lower than 4 years, by which safety, in addition to financial points, are usually key considerations amongst voters.

Violence in Israel had subsided considerably because the spring, when a minimum of 19 folks in a number of cities have been killed in a spate of Palestinian assaults with weapons, knives and a automobile. Since then, Israeli forces have carried out near-nightly raids on West Financial institution communities and killed dozens of Palestinians.

Among the many lifeless this spring was Palestinian American Shireen Abu Akleh, a veteran journalist for Al Jazeera who was killed in Might whereas protecting clashes within the Palestinian metropolis of Jenin. The Washington Post and different main media retailers concluded that Israeli forces probably fired the shot that killed Abu Akleh, who was removed from any combating.

Israel mentioned its personal investigation discovered the supply of the bullet inconclusive, however that its troopers didn’t intentionally shoot. A U.S. investigation launched in June mentioned the gunfire was more likely to have come from Israeli forces however concluded it was most likely unintentional, angering Abu Akleh’s household.

Steve Hendrix contributed to this report.