In the old city of Jerusalem in Israel, a Palestinian gunman opened fire at pilgrims. The attack comes nearly a week after Israel bombards Gaza.
A Palestinian assailant attacked a bus full of tourists in the old Jerusalem. The tourists were returning from the Wailing Wall, the holiest site for Jews. The attacker opened fire while the bus was still near the site, in the parking lot.
Shooting in Israel
In the early hours of Sunday, an unidentified Palestinian gunman opened fire on a bus of tourists. Nearly seven people were wounded and one of them was critically injured. One of the victims of the shooting was a 35-year-old pregnant woman who was rushed to the hospital and is said to be in critical condition. She was admitted to Shaarei Tsedek Hospital, for an emergency Caesarean section. The bus was in the old city of Jerusalem when the attacker opened fire on them.
The bus was in the parking lot near the holy site of the Wailing Wall. The gunman targeted the driver when the bus had stopped at Tomb of David station. “Everyone got down on the floor, screaming. I tried to escape, but the bus couldn’t drive with the ramp open”, Daniel Kanievsky, the bus driver recounted his horror to a local Israeli radio station.
The victims also included five American citizens, who are residents of Williamsburg and New York. Tom Nides, the American ambassador took to Twitter to inform the public about the attack. “Deeply saddened to confirm that Americans were injured in this attack. I’ve spoken with the families and will keep them in my prayers. Continuing to monitor the situation.”, said Nides on Twitter. He further condemned the attack, “Strongly condemn the terrorist attack outside the Old City of Jerusalem. I am praying for a quick recovery for all of the innocent victims”
Gunman arrested
The Israeli police conducted a thorough investigation to determine the identity of the gunman. The assailant, who later turned himself in had fled the scene initially. Afterwards, he surrendered to the police.
The Israeli media identified him as Amir Sidawi, a 26-year-old from the Silwan district of East Jerusalem. Sidawi has a criminal record. Currently, Sidawi has no known affiliations with either HAMAS or Palestinian Islamist Jihad (PIJ). Fawzi Barhoum, a spokesperson for HAMAS said, “Today this operation confirms that the Palestinian people continue on the path of resistance and all the tools of struggle and resistance against this occupation are to protect our people, our land and our holy sites”.
Israeli forces wasted no time in entering the nearby area of Silwan and conducting searches in homes and neighbourhoods. They even made arrests, possibly people related to Sidawi.
Prime Minister Yair Lapid said that Israeli authorities are taking appropriate measures to ensure that the city of Jerusalem is safe for residents and tourists alike. The authorities are taking measures to combat counterfeit or copycat crimes.
Attack on Gaza
A week ago, Israeli forces bombarded the Gaza strip. The fighter jets had carried out an aerial raid on the region, targeting forces of Islamist Jihad or PIJ. The raid lasted for three days and claimed the lives of 47 people. Official estimates say that 35 civilians, including 17 children were among the causalities. The Palestinian militants fired 1000 rockets but they failed to harm anyone. The escalation came to a screeching halt when Egypt brokered peace.
The recent turn of events is no consolation to those who yearn for peace in the region. Accordingly, many analysts say that peace is temporary and may not last long. Given the history of the area, it, unfortunately, might turn out to be true.
Read more: As the Israel-Palestinian truce holds, the Gaza power plant restarts
