Six people were killed and at least a dozen others were injured in a shooting at Ramot Junction in occupied East Jerusalem on Monday morning. Israeli police said two gunmen arrived in a car and opened fire at a bus stop before being shot dead by a security officer and a civilian.
Paramedics said twelve people were injured, with six in serious condition. Others were hurt by broken glass. “We treated several people at the scene, including those with serious gunshot wounds,” said Israel’s emergency service, Magen David Adom.
Following the attack, Israeli forces closed all checkpoints between East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. Raids were carried out in nearby villages, including Qatana and Biddu. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the site and said, “We are in an intense war against terror on several fronts. A pursuit and encirclement of the villages from which the terrorists came is under way.”
Palestinians fear the incident will bring collective punishment. “People are on edge, waiting to see what is going to happen next,” said journalist Leila Warah from the West Bank.
The Palestinian Authority condemned the shooting and said it rejects “any targeting of civilians, whether Palestinian or Israeli.” Neither Hamas nor Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility, but both praised the attack. Hamas called it “a natural response to the crimes of the occupation” and said Israel’s plans to destroy Gaza City and threaten Al-Aqsa Mosque “will not pass without punishment.”
The shooting took place near the settlement of Ramot, which is built on occupied Palestinian land and considered illegal under international law. Analysts said the attack most likely came from the West Bank rather than Gaza. Israeli political analyst Ori Goldberg told Al Jazeera that Israel’s policies have left many Palestinians with no non-violent options. “Israel is the stronger party and bears most of the responsibility,” he said.
This was the deadliest shooting in Jerusalem since November 2023, underscoring the growing violence across the region as Israel’s war on Gaza continues alongside raids and settler attacks in the West Bank.
