Two US residents were injured within the back-to-back bombs that went off at two Israeli bus stops Wednesday morning, the US Ambassador to Israel said.
“Sadly, I can now confirm that two U.S. residents were amongst those injured in today’s terror attacks in Jerusalem,” Ambassador Tom Nides tweeted Wednesday.
“As we head into Thanksgiving, I’m grateful that they’ll recuperate. I pray for a peaceful holiday within the U.S., Jerusalem, or wherever you could be celebrating,” he continued.
Nides’ announcement got here several hours after the primary blast went off at a crowded bus station on the outskirts of Jerusalem around 7:06 a.m. local time. It was followed half-hour later by a second explosion within the Ramot settlement.
“It was a crazy explosion. There may be damage in every single place here,” Yosef Haim Gabay, a medic, told Israeli Army Radio of the primary blast. “I saw individuals with wounds bleeding in all places.”
Officials said that 26 people were injured, and one victim, an Israeli-Canadian teen, was killed.
Aryeh Shechopek, 16, was on his option to a yeshiva when he was killed within the Ramot blast. Rabbi Aharon Kahana of the Harei Yehuda Yeshiva, described the scholar to Haaretz as “charming” and “gentle.”
Shechopek was reportedly not feeling well the morning of the attack and asked his mother to remain home, but ultimately ended up heading to highschool.
In accordance with Jewish tradition, he was buried just hours after the attack.
An initial investigation by police revealed that the bombs were shrapnel devices that detonated remotely. Each attacks are being characterised as acts of Palestinian terrorism.
Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls the Gaza Strip and has carried out suicide bombings targeting Israelis, didn’t claim responsibility for the attack, but did praise the perpetrators.
“The Zionist occupation is paying the value today for its crimes and aggression against our people and the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” spokesman Abd al-Latif al-Qanua said.
Outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid vowed that authorities would find the attackers.
“They’ll run, they’ll hide — it won’t help them,” he said in an announcement. “We’ll punish them to the fullest extent of the law.”
With Post wires
