“At least three people were injured by the second explosion”
At least one person was killed in two explosions earlier today at bus stops on the outskirts of Jerusalemwhile around 15 others were injured, an Israeli police spokesman announced.
The identity of the victim has not been released at this time, with the police only saying that it is a man who was taken to the Saare Zedek hospital.
The first attack took place at a bus station near the Jerusalem exit, followed by a second attack about 30 minutes later at another bus stop in the eastern part of the city, which police attributed to Palestinian organizations.
Emergency services had earlier announced that 12 people were taken to hospital with injuries after the first explosion, of which at least two were in critical condition. At least three people were injured in the second explosion.
Israel Police spokesman Eli Levi told army radio that the first explosion was caused by a powerful explosive device.
“There has not been such a concerted attack in Jerusalem for years,” he pointed out.
The radio station reported that the explosive devices were hidden in bags and at least one of them contained nails in order to cause more damage and casualties.
Camera images, broadcast by N12, show the moment of the first explosion with a cloud of smoke rising from the bus stop, while others broadcast by television networks show debris at the site of the first explosion, which has been cordoned off by police.
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid is expected to chair an emergency meeting of security chiefs at noon today at the army general staff in Tel Aviv.
For his part, Abdel Latif al-Kanua, the representative of the Palestinian organization Hamas, praised the attacks, considering them “the price of the crimes and attacks” of Israel “against our people”. However, the organization did not take responsibility for them.
The EU’s ambassador to Israel, Dimitar Jadshev, said he was “shocked by the terrorist attacks”. “I express my sincerest condolences to the families of the victims (…) Terrorism is never justified,” he said in a statement.
The blasts came as acting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is negotiating with his allies to form Israel’s new right-wing government, which will include members of religious and far-right parties.
One of his allies, ultra-nationalist MP Itamar Ben-Gvir head of “Religious Zionism”, visited the site of the first bombing and called for tough action against the perpetrators.
“Even if it’s in the West Bank, besiege them and go house-to-house looking for weapons and restore our deterrent force,” said Ben-Gvir, who wants to take over the Ministry of Homeland Security.
The explosions follow months of tension in the West Bank, Palestinian territory held by Israel since 1967, where the Israeli military has stepped up operations following a series of deadly anti-Israeli attacks in March and April. Since then, it has launched over 2,000 raids in the West Bank, especially in the Jenin and Nablus sectors.
Its raids, during which clashes often erupt with the Palestinian population, have claimed the lives of over 125 people on the Palestinian side. It is the heaviest toll in the West Bank in about seven years, according to the UN.
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