A car crashes into a bus stop in East Jerusalem: two dead including a child, the police confirm a "terrorist attack
Eva Deschamps / February 12, 2023
Two people, including an eight-year-old child, were killed in a ram car attack in East Jerusalem. The driver crashed into a group of pedestrians gathered at a bus stop, before being shot by an undercover inspector. Five people were injured, including some in critical condition according to medical officials.
The tragedy occurred around 1:30 pmlocal time in the Ramot neighborhood in northern East Jerusalem. A neighborhood annexed by Israel since 1967. The suspected terrorist was driving a blue Mazda.
It was a shocking scene," testified paramedic Lishai Shemesh on the road at the time of the attack. "I was in the car with my wife and children and I saw a car run into the bus stop and crush the people waiting there. »
On site, many rescuers were active. A helicopter and a drone were flying over the scene.
In 2022 nearly 150 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, making it the deadliest year since 2004 according to the Israeli NGO B'Tselem. 30 people were killed in Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis.
The acceleration of violence appears to continue into 2023. Since January, 43 Palestinians have been killed, 10 of them in a shootout related to an Israeli army raid in Jenin in the West Bank.
This raises fears of a new spiral of violence. Many international organizations have called for an easing of tensions.