IDF soldier murdered in Jerusalem tunnel terror attack, five wounded

Palestinian terrorists killed a soldier at a security checkpoint on the Bethlehem bypass road south of Jerusalem on Thursday morning. Five other Israelis were wounded.

Three terrorists exited their car and began shooting. They were shot dead security forces.

The wounded Israelis were taken to Hadassah-University Medical Center and Shaare Zedek Medical Center.

Cpl. Avraham Fetena, 20, from Haifa, died in the terrorist attack, the IDF reported.

The security forces had prevented a major terrorist attack, Israel Police Jerusalem District Cmdr. Doron Turgeman said.

Israel Police prevented a 'mass slaughter in Jerusalem'

“Axes and a lot of ammunition were found in the terrorists’ vehicle,” he said. “They were probably planning to carry out a more significant operation in Jerusalem, but we killed them before they could.”

Police confiscated two pistols and an M-16 assault rifle from the terrorists.

“We quickly arrived at the scene and saw four wounded people lying there with gunshot wounds,” a Magen David Adom paramedic said. “One of them, a young man about 20 years old, was unconscious with gunshot wounds to his upper body. We gave him medical treatment and quickly evacuated him to the Shaare Zedek Medical Center.

A terror shooting attack occurred at the Tunnels Crossing entrance to Jerusalem. Three heavily armed terrorists, who initiated gunfire on security forces, have been neutralizedLarge police forces have secured the scene, and traffic has been reopened to the public pic.twitter.com/6sGDg8vlSB

— Israel Police (@israelpolice) November 16, 2023

“Three others who were wounded were treated at the same time – a 20-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man who suffered gunshot wounds to their limbs. They were fully conscious and their condition was defined as satisfactory. We evacuated two more wounded with minor wounds. In addition, we also treated several victims of anxiety.”

Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack and said it had been carried out by Izzadin al-Qassam, its so-called armed wing.

The Hamas terrorists were identified by the security forces as Abed al-Qadr al-Qawasmi, 26, from Hebron, the son of senior Hamas terrorist Abdullah al-Qawasmi, who was killed in 2003; and Hassan Mamon Kapisha, whose father was deported to Turkey in 2011.

Later, the Hamas terrorist organization claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it had been carried out by their armed wing, Al-Qassam Brigade in the West Bank.

The Hamas-affiliated terrorists were later identified by security forces as 26-year-old Hebron resident Abed al-Qadr al-Qawasmi, the son of a senior Hamas terrorist Abdullah al-Qawasmi who was killed in 2003, and Hassan Mamon Kapisha, whose father was deported to Turkey in 2011. 

The identity of the third terrorist had not yet been verified, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) said. 

This is a developing story.