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Palestinian gunmen kill 6 people at Jerusalem bus stop — Israeli police and rescue teams inspect the scene of a shooting attack carried out by two Palestinian gunmen, in which several people were killed and others injured at a bus stop in Jerusalem, September 8, 2025. Photo: Reuters

Hamas claims responsibility for Monday’s deadly Jerusalem shooting

JERUSALEM, Israel,— Two Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a bus stop on the northern edge of Jerusalem on Monday, killing six civilians in one of the deadliest shootings in the city in recent years, according to Israeli police. The assailants were shot dead at the scene by security forces.

The attack unfolded at Ramot Junction, where dashcam footage showed commuters scrambling for cover as gunfire erupted near a bus pulled over on the roadside. Police said a soldier and an armed civilian killed the two attackers within minutes.

“It was terrifying. Suddenly I heard gunshots. I ran and felt it lasted an eternity,” said Ester Lugasi, who was hospitalized with injuries, in an interview with Israeli television.

Israel’s ambulance service said the dead included a 50-year-old man, a woman in her 50s, and three men in their 30s. Later, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar confirmed that a sixth victim had died of wounds. Officials reported more than 20 people were injured, six of them in serious condition.

Spain’s foreign ministry said one of its citizens was among the dead. Statements of condemnation also came from France, the European Union, and the United Arab Emirates.

Police identified the gunmen as Palestinians from the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Several firearms, ammunition, and a knife were recovered at the scene. Authorities said the pair had driven to the bus stop before opening fire.

A man from East Jerusalem was arrested on suspicion of helping the attackers, police said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the scene and said security forces were searching for others suspected of involvement. “We will pursue all those who provided support,” he told reporters.

The Israeli military said it had deployed soldiers in the Ramot area and launched operations in Ramallah to question suspects and “thwart terrorism.” Footage from Reuters showed a large security presence near the site, where paramedics reported victims lying in the road and on the sidewalk, some unconscious.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas issued a statement condemning violence against both Palestinians and Israelis.

Hamas praised the attack but did not claim responsibility, describing it as “a natural reaction to the occupation’s actions against Palestinians.”

But Hamas’ armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, on Tuesday claimed responsibility for the shooting that killed six people on the outskirts of Jerusalem on Monday.

Islamic Jihad also welcomed the attack, though neither group claimed direct responsibility.

The shooting occurred against the backdrop of nearly two years of war in Gaza, where Israel’s offensive against Hamas has left widespread destruction.

The war began after Hamas Islamist militants launched an assault on Israel in October 2023, in what observers described as an Islamic State-style attack, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.

Since then, thousands of Gazans, mostly Hamas fighters, have been killed in Gaza. The conflict has also fueled unrest in the West Bank, where Palestinians face increased military restrictions and violence from Israeli settlers.

There has been a surge of shootings and stabbings inside Israel and the West Bank since the war began.

In May 2025, another incident drew widespread attention when a Palestinian gunman fatally shot a pregnant Israeli woman on her way to a hospital to give birth, according to Israeli authorities.

In October 2024, two Palestinians killed seven people in Tel Aviv in a combined shooting and stabbing attack. The previous year, in November 2023, three people were killed by Palestinian gunmen at a Jerusalem bus stop.

And in January 2023, a Palestinian attacker shot dead seven worshippers at a synagogue in Jerusalem.

Israeli officials say many of the assailants in recent attacks have had ties to Hamas.

(With files from Reuters)