Israeli boy killed in bus attack in occupied West Bank
The boy, who had sustained critical injuries, later succumbed to his wounds, the medical center confirmed.
JERUSALEM: A 12-year-old boy was killed in a Palestinian shooting attack on an Israeli bus in the occupied West Bank, the Hadassah Medical Center reported Thursday.
At least three others were injured, according to Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service.
The boy, who had sustained critical injuries, later succumbed to his wounds, the medical center confirmed.
The attack occurred overnight when “a terrorist opened fire at an Israeli civilian bus in the area of the el-Khader Junction,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement. “As a result of the attack, a number of civilians were injured,” the statement added.
The suspect fled the scene, prompting a manhunt. Israeli security forces established roadblocks and encircled the area around Bethlehem in search of the assailant.
On Thursday morning, the Shin Bet security agency and the IDF announced that the suspect “turned himself in to security forces.” A photo circulating on social media showed the individual blindfolded and handcuffed.
Tensions in the West Bank have been rising since before the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas last October and have escalated further, marked by frequent and deadly Israeli raids, settler violence against Palestinian farmers, and occasional Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis.
-Xinhua
