One Israeli soldier killed and three injured in shooting attack in Jerusalem
This is a developing story, and we will update it with further details as they become available.
Jerusalem24 – One Israeli soldier was killed and three others injured in a shooting attack at the Shuafat checkpoint in occupied East Jerusalem on Saturday evening.
The shooting attack was carried out by a Palestinian from the Shuafat refugee camp in East Jerusalem, who was identified this afternoon by the Israeli military as 22-year-old Oday Tamimi.
Immediately after the attack around 9pm, the Israeli military announced three injuries to its forces including one described as critical. The soldier in question was pronounced dead after reaching the hospital, however her death was only formally announced this morning.
One security guard was seriously wounded and underwent surgery overnight. Another two soldiers sustained less serious injuries from shrapnel, according to Israeli daily Haaretz.
In CCTV footage leaked to media this afternoon, Tamimi appears to be step out of a car stationed at the checkpoint and slowly walks towards the Israeli soldiers stationed there, shooting one soldier and security guard at point-blank range. He can then be seen fleeing on foot to Shuafat refugee camp while the vehicle he was in drives off.
Following the attack, large numbers of Israeli forces stormed the camp and intense confrontations broke out. Shuafat has been on lockdown since last night, with all exits closed by Israeli forces.
As well as the full closure on Shuafat, Israeli forces imposed a closure on the Anata area of occupied East Jerusalem, which includes the communities of Ras Khamis, Ras Shehadeh, and Dahiyat Al-Salam, isolating them from the rest of Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. Around 100,000 Palestinians are estimated to live in the area.
The closure prevented workers, employees and school students from commuting to Jerusalem or other West Bank cities. Hundreds of teachers in West Bank schools who live in the area were unable to teach classes for the day.
Israeli forces also prevented Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance crews in Jerusalem from entering the Shuafat and Anata areas, as per a statement on their Facebook page.
Violent confrontations between Israeli forces and Palestinian youth continued until dawn. Eyewitness accounts and reports from the area show Israeli forces storming the streets and alleys of the camp, carrying out seemingly random raids and searches on buildings and residential houses.
Israeli police announced during the day the arrest of three suspects, residents of Beit Hanina, Anata, and Shuafat. The driver who transported the gunman turned himself in and two passangers were also arrested. According to Haaretz, they have denied involvement and said they did not know of Tamimi’s intentions.
During the month of September, a total of 75 shooting attacks were carried out by Palestinian gunmen against Israeli targets – mainly military in nature – as well as 21 IED attacks, two stabbing attempts, and two car-ramming attempts. In addition, 310 spontaneous confrontation events between Palestinian youth or Palestinian armed fighters and Israeli forces were recorded by Moata Palestinian Information Center.
Video footage shared on social media depicts overnight Israeli military raids on Shuafat as well as the blocking of Palestinian Red Cross ambulances to the area this morning.
جنود الاحتلال يطلقون وابلاً من قنابل الغاز خلال اقتحام مخيم شعفاط بالقدس pic.twitter.com/WSp52EtQkA
— AlQastal القسطل (@AlQastalps) October 8, 2022
لحظة اعتقال قوات الاحتلال شاباً قرب بلدة عناتا بالقدس قبل قليل pic.twitter.com/JYA0JFSAHr
— AlQastal القسطل (@AlQastalps) October 8, 2022
اشتداد المواجهات في مخيم شعفاط pic.twitter.com/ABHuDvLeTj
— AlQastal القسطل (@AlQastalps) October 8, 2022
لحظة اقتحام أعداد كبيرة من قوات الاحتلال منزلاً في مخيم شعفاط بالقدس pic.twitter.com/PCOq5vmxve
— AlQastal القسطل (@AlQastalps) October 8, 2022
انتشار مكثف لقوات الاحتلال في مخيم شعفاط بالقدس pic.twitter.com/XIbLW17ul8
— AlQastal القسطل (@AlQastalps) October 8, 2022
الاحتلال يمنع سيارة إسعاف من الدخول لبلدة عناتا بالقدس في ظل استمرار الحصار على البلدة ومخيم شعفاط منذ أمس pic.twitter.com/lhCz0yw8Gt
— AlQastal القسطل (@AlQastalps) October 9, 2022
الاحتلال يواصل إغلاق جميع مداخل مخيم شعفاط وعناتا شمال شرق القدس pic.twitter.com/cxrmTigGQr
— AlQastal القسطل (@AlQastalps) October 9, 2022