2024 Kiryat Malakhi attack explained
On 16 February 2024, a mass shooting took place at a bus station at the Re'em Junction along Highway 40 in Kiryat Malakhi, a city in Southern District, Israel. Two people were killed and four injured, with the shooter killed by an off-duty Israel Defense Force (IDF) reservist at the scene.
Attack
Shortly after 12:30 pm, the shooter arrived at a bus station in Re'em Junction on Highway 40, near Kiryat Malakhi, in a stolen vehicle. He then opened fire at civilians waiting at the bus stop with a handgun.[1] Six people were shot.[2]
Magen David Adom paramedics evacuated the victims to the two nearest hospitals: Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot and Assuta Ashdod Medical Center in Ashdod.[3] [4] Kaplan Medical Center later announced that one victim died at the scene, while another was evacuated in serious condition and died at the hospital.[5] The Magen David Adom stated that two of the four injured were in serious condition, and the other two were in moderate condition.[6]
An off-duty IDF reservist who was driving near the scene heard gunshots, and stopped at a gas station. He then loaded his gun and fatally shot the attacker. An eyewitness said they saw him open fire on the shooter about a minute and a half after the attack began.[7]
Assailant
Haaretz initially identified the shooter as a Palestinian from East Jerusalem;[8] the Shin Bet intelligence service later identified the assailant as Fadi Jamjoum, a 37-year-old resident of the Shu'fat Palestinian refugee camp in East Jerusalem, who held an Israeli identity card. Police determined he acted alone.
Aftermath
Clashes broke out in Shuafat between Israel Police forces and residents as Police reportedly headed for Jamjoun's house.[9] Residents threw stones and Molotov cocktails at police officers, who responded using "riot dispersal means".[10]
Doron Turgeman, Israel Police commander of the Jerusalem district, ordered the destruction of Jamjoun's home. After receiving a warrant, police officers cleared the home of Jamjoun's family before sealing it.
Reactions
Domestic
Following the attack, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement in which he sent condolences to the families affected, and said that the "attack reminds us that the whole country is a front and that the murderers, who come not only from Gaza, want to kill us all. We will continue to fight until complete victory with all our strength, on every front, everywhere, until we restore security and peace to all citizens of Israel".[11]
Palestinian groups
Hamas praised the attack and said it was a natural response to Israel's war in Gaza, and called for more Palestinians to take up arms.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad said the attack was a response to Israel's war in Gaza.
Fatah hailed the attack, calling it a "heroic operation in the occupied territories". However, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who also headed the Fatah movement, denounces the statement. His office added “The president is against violence and against terror attacks,”.[12]
International
United States Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew said he was appalled by the attack and offered condolences to the families affected.[13]
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Joffre . Tzvi . 2024-02-16 . Two killed, two seriously wounded in shooting attack in southern Israel . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240218222441/https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-787312 . 18 February 2024 . 2024-02-16 . The Jerusalem Post . en-US.
- News: Fabian . Emanuel . 2024-02-16 . Two killed, 4 hurt in terror attack at Re’em Junction in south Israel; gunman dead . 2024-02-16 . . 19 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240219184524/https://www.timesofisrael.com/two-killed-4-hurt-in-terror-attack-at-reem-junction-in-south-israel-gunman-killed/ . live .
- Web site: פיגוע ירי בצומת ראם: שניים נרצחו וארבעה נפצעו באורח בינוני-קשה. מאיר. תורג'מן. מתן. צורי. עינב. חלבי. February 16, 2024. www.ynet.co.il. 16 February 2024. 16 February 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240216135035/https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/bkcit2hot. live.
- Web site: Fursher . Efrat . Speyer . Moore . Yegorov . Ilya . February 16, 2024 . פיגוע בצומת מסמיה: שניים נרצחו, בן 16 במצב אנוש | ישראל היום . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240217014435/https://www.israelhayom.co.il/news/defense/article/15277400 . 17 February 2024 . 16 February 2024 . www.israelhayom.co.il.
- Web site: Bassist . Rina . 2024-02-16 . Two people killed in shooting in south of Israel - Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle East . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240217021148/https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2024/02/two-people-killed-shooting-south-israel . 17 February 2024 . 2024-02-16 . Al-Monitor . en.
- Web site: 2 killed in shooting attack in S. Israel . 2024-02-16 . Xinhua . 16 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240216174337/https://english.news.cn/20240216/aa865e1a1e86437e814d1a03dac7cff6/c.html . live .
- News: Breiner . Josh . Efrati . Ido . Solomon . Eden . Hasson . Nir . 2024-02-16 . Shooter Kills Two, Wounds Four in Southern Israel Terror Attack . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240319221901/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-02-16/ty-article/two-killed-four-wounded-in-terror-attack-in-southern-israel/0000018d-b1d9-de6d-a1fd-b9dd18c30000 . 19 March 2024 . 2024-02-16 . Haaretz . en.
- News: 16 February 2024 . Suspected Palestinian shooting attack kills two in Israel . 16 February 2024 . Reuters.
- News: Israel-Hamas War Day 133 : ICJ Rejects Request for Urgent Measures to Safeguard Rafah; Israel: Over 30 UNRWA Staff Involved in Oct. 7 Attack . 2024-02-17 . Haaretz . en . 16 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240216042251/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-02-16/ty-article-live/after-40-minute-call-with-biden-netanyahu-rejects-intl-diktats-on-palestinian-state/0000018d-aff4-d070-a7fd-fff430710000 . live .
- News: Fabian . Emanuel . 18 February 2024 . Police officers seal off East Jerusalem home of suspect in Friday's fatal terror shooting ahead of demolition . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240218195004/https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/police-officers-seal-off-east-jerusalem-home-of-suspect-in-fridays-fatal-terror-shooting-ahead-of-demolition/ . 18 February 2024 . 18 February 2024 . The Times of Israel.
- Web site: 2024-02-16 . Two dead in shooting at bus stop in southern Israel - Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle East . 2024-02-17 . www.al-monitor.com . en . Agence France-Presse . 17 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240217002057/https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2024/02/two-dead-shooting-bus-stop-southern-israel . live .
- News: 16 February 2024 . Fatah hails southern Israel terror attack; Abbas denounces statement, says he’s against violence . . 31 March 2024 . 12 March 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240312114643/https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/fatah-hails-southern-israel-terror-attack-abbas-denounces-statement-says-hes-against-violence/ . live .
- Web site: Magid . Jacob . 2024-02-16 . US envoy blasts ‘abhorrent’ terror attack in southern Israel . 2024-02-18 . The Times of Israel . en . 18 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240218130357/https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/us-envoy-blasts-abhorrent-terror-attack-in-southern-israel/ . live .
