Scene of attack on Highway 1 near Maale Adumim
One person was killed and five others were wounded in a terrorist shooting attack on Highway 1 near the West Bank settlement of Maale Adumim, the Magen David Adom (MDA) ambulance service reported Thursday morning.
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According to emergency services, the deceased was identified as a man in his 20s. Additionally, a pregnant woman in her 20s was seriously wounded in the attack, but her baby was unharmed. Four other people sustained moderate injuries in the attack.
Another woman who sustained injuries after falling and four others suffering from shock were evacuated to Shaare Zedek, Hadassah Ein Kerem and Hadassah Mount Scopus hospitals in Jerusalem.
According to law enforcement, three terrorists arrived at the scene by car, exited their vehicle and opened fire with automatic weapons at cars standing in a traffic jam on the busy Highway 1 leading to Jerusalem, one of the main thoroughfares to the capital.
Security forces on site neutralized two assailants immediately. In sweeps conducted at the scene, another attacker attempting to flee was shot by security forces and taken to Hadassah Hospital for treatment.
First responders evacuate person wounded in attack
(Photo: Magen David Adom)
The Shin Bet security agency identified the terrorists as brothers Kathem Zawahra, 31, and Muhammad Zawahra, 26, both residents of the village of Ta’amra and Ahmed Al-Wahsh, 31, from the Palestinian town of Za'atara near Bethlehem. Kathem Zawahra had been previously jailed for entering Israel illegally, the Shin Bet said.
Eyewitnesses reported that the terrorists crashed into cars on the road to create a traffic jam, then exited their vehicles and opened fire. A smoke grenade was found on the person of one of the attackers.
The civilian who neutralized two of the terrorists on-scene is 23-year-old Hanania Ben-Shimon, who served in the reserves in the Gaza Strip and was discharged last week.
Firearms recovered at the scene of the shooting
Ben-Shimon's father told Ynet, "When the terrorist stopped the car and began shooting, Hanania fired the first bullet through the window and then went outside, engaged in close combat, hit him and was also injured."
Amit Ararat, a nurse at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, was at the scene of the incident and treated a woman who was wounded in the shooting.
"The injured woman got out of the car, and we began treating her," he said. "It took a few minutes to control the bleeding. She had an arterial injury in her left arm, and I informed the Hadassah team about the nature of the injury. She told me she started running and managed to see the terrorist with the gun as he was firing."
Security forces at scene of attack
(Photo: Israel Police)
The attack took place nearly two weeks before the advent of the holy month of Ramadan and against the backdrop of heightened preparedness by Jerusalem District Police.
Security officials are concerned about potential rioting during this month, which is characterized by heightened religious fervor and has become particularly volatile in recent years. This year, tensions are particularly high amid the war in the Gaza Strip.
Security officials have issued a stark warning to political leaders, indicating that the Al-Aqsa Mosque could unify Muslims against Israel across the West Bank and Israel proper, as well as throughout the Middle East.