- Writing
- BBC News World
image source, Archyde.com
Israeli security forces in front of the shooting area.
At least 7 people died this Friday in a shooting in a synagogue in east Jerusalem, according to the Israeli police.
The incident occurred in the city’s Neve Yaakov neighborhood at around 8:15 p.m. local time (1815 GMT) and was described by police as “a terrorist attack.”
The Israel Ambulance Service reported 10 victimsbetween deaths and injuries.
The police said that the alleged attacker had been “neutralized”.
Local media report that the suspect was shot by security forces as he fled the scene.
The man identified as a Palestinian from the Shu’fat refugee camp in East Jerusalem.
“It is one of the worst attacks we have faced in recent years,” said Israeli Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai at the crime scene.
The BBC spoke to witnesses at the scene, who said they heard gunshots and that the situation was very scary.
Shortly following the incident, Israel’s controversial far-right Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the site of the shooting.
Ben-Gvir has vowed to bring safety back to Israel’s streets, but there is mounting anger that he has not yet done so, says BBC Jerusalem journalist Yolande Knell.
The United States condemned the attack. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said: “We stand with the Israeli people in solidarity.”
This shooting occurred amid an escalation of tensions following what 9 Palestinians, both militants and civilians, they died this thursday during an Israeli military raid on a Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.
This was followed by the firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel, to which the Israeli army responded with airstrikes.
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