Posted on 11/16/23
| News Source: Arutz-7
Six people were reported injured Thursday morning in a shooting attack at the checkpoint on the "tunnel highway" between Jerusalem and Gush Etzion.
One of the victims is in critical condition, and three others suffered light injuries.
Magen David Adom (MDA) evacuated four victims to hospitals: a 20-year-old man who suffered very severe injuries was evacuated, unconscious; two victims who suffered moderate injuries - a woman of about 20 and a man of about 32; and a man of about 20 who suffered light injuries. Three other people suffered shock.
Shaare Zedek Medical Center confirmed that it received three victims from the shooting attack, and reported that one of the victims is in critical condition and two others are in moderate condition, all of them undergoing initial assessments to determine appropriate treatment. Hadasseh Ein Kerem Medical Center said that it received three fully-conscious shooting victims, two of whom suffered light injuries and one of whom suffered light to moderate injuries.
Initial investigations show that three terrorists from Hebron arrived by vehicle at the checkpoint, which is manned by IDF soldiers. The terrorists then opened fire and were eliminated at the scene.
Two of the terrorists are residents of Hebron, while the identity of the third terrorist is still being investigated. One of the terrorists is known to the police. According to Jerusalem District Police Commander Doron Turgeman, "Axes and a large amount of ammunition were found in the terrorists' vehicle; apparently, they planned to carry out a more significant attack in Jerusalem, but we eliminated them before they managed to do so."
Kalashnikov rifles have been found at the scene of the attack.
During a situational assessment, the Jerusalem District Police Commander said that the terrorists' vehicle stopped for inspection at the checkpoint, and that the terrorists then opened fire. A search of the vehicle revealed axes.
As of 10:00a.m., the incident is not yet over, and all of the roads leading to the tunnel route have been closed to traffic.
United Hatzalah reported: Our volunteers are currently treating five people for varying degrees of injury following a shooting incident that took place on Highway 60, the "tunnel route," near the checkpoint.
United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Yaakov Wallach, who was one of the first people at the scene, recounted: "Together with other volunteers, I treated a number of people who were injured. Security forces are active at the scene securing the area, and we are currently waiting for ambulances to arrive in order to transport the injured to the hospital."
MDA reported: "At 9:07a.m., a report was received by the MDA hotline regarding a number of people injured in a terror attack near the tunnel checkpoint. From initial reports alone, MDA EMTs and paramedics are providing medical aid at the scene to five victims, one of whom is in critical condition, and the rest are conscious. The terrorist has been neutralized."
In a later update, MDA said, "MDA EMTs and paramedics are providing medical treatment and evacuating to Hadassah Ein Kerem and Shaare Zedek hospitals four [people] injured and suffering gunshot wounds, including; a young man around 20 years old in severe condition and unconscious, two in moderate condition; a young woman around 20 years old, a man around 32 years old, and one young man around 20 injured lightly; as well as an additional 3 victims suffering from stress symptoms."
MDA EMTs Binyamin Rosens and Ronan Yemini and Paramedic Iyab Aliyan said: "We quickly arrived at the scene and saw four gunshot victims lying; one of them, a young man about 20 years old was unconscious with gunshot wounds to his upper body. We provided him with medical treatment and evacuated him swiftly to Shaare Zedek hospital whilst fighting for his life. Three other wounded were treated at the same time, a 20-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man suffering from gunshot wounds to their limbs. They were fully conscious and their condition was defined as moderate. We evacuated two more wounded in light condition. In addition, we also treated several victims suffering from stress symptoms."
Israel Police said: "A short time ago, we received a report of fire towards the tunnel checkpoint in Jerusalem. As a result of the fire, there are a number of injured at the scene. The suspect in the shooting was neutralized. Large numbers of police forces have been called to the scene."
A later statement from the police read: "In the shooting attack a short time ago at the tunnel checkpoint in Jerusalem, three terrorists were neutralized by security forces operating at the scene, after the [terrorists] arrived by vehicle from Judea and Samaria and opened fire at our forces."
"As a result of the attack, seven people were injured and suffer varying degrees of injury, and are currently being evacuated to receive medical treatment.
"Large numbers of police, Border Police, and IDF forces are acting to search the area and carry out necessary actions at the scene of the attack. Jerusalem District police sappers are at the scene, and the road has been closed to vehicles until the completion of the handling of the event.