Jerusalem Attack Puts Gaza Ceasefire Under Pressure

An attack on civilians in Jerusalem that has left three dead and at least a further six wounded came just hours after Israel and Hamas struck a deal to extend a temporary truce by another day, threatening a tentative negotiated ceasefire.

Two gunmen opened fire on a group of people waiting at a bus stop early on Thursday morning before being shot dead by nearby soldiers. Grainy CCTV footage circulating on social media shows two men pull up in a silver car, get out and start shooting at those on the pavement.

According to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, citing police sources, the two gunmen originated from a Palestinian neighborhood on the outskirts of East Jerusalem in the West Bank. The two, reportedly brothers, were said to be affiliated with Hamas and had previously served prison sentences for terror offenses.

The newspaper reported those killed in the attack were Rabbi Elimelech Wasserman, 73, Hanna Ifergan, 67, and 24-year-old Libiya Dickman. The bus stop was the same location where a bomb exploded a year ago, according to the Associated Press, killing a young boy and wounding a further 18 people.

While there have been unconfirmed reports of Hamas taking credit for the attack, even if the gunmen were not sponsored by the Palestinian militant organization, the attack will likely make an ongoing cessation of hostilities even more difficult.

"The ceasefire may have been extended by another day, but the Hamas terrorism continues," Eli Kowaz, a Middle East analyst at the Israel Policy Forum, said on X, formerly Twitter, of the attack. Israeli forces previously accused Palestinian militants of breaking the ceasefire after only 15 minutes.

Newsweek reached out to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs via email for comment on Thursday.

Since around 1,500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants staged a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, killing an estimated 1,200 people, including many civilians, Israel has conducted an intensive campaign of airstrikes on Gaza and a subsequent ground offensive. More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed, the Associated Press reported, citing the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel has stressed its war is not with Palestinians but with Hamas and has said its ground incursion into the Palestinian territory had the aim of eliminating the militant organization in the interest of Israel's security.

It agreed last week to a temporary ceasefire to allow for negotiations to continue over the release of around 240 hostages taken to Gaza during the October 7 attack. Hamas has been releasing hostages in groups in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

The short-term truce has already been extended several times and was due to expire on Thursday morning, but it was extended to a seventh day at the last minute.

But the temporary ceasefire may end there after the latest attack. Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's hardliner right-wing national security minister, said at the site of the attack that it "proves again how we must not show weakness, that we must speak to Hamas only through the [rifle] scopes, only through the war," Reuters reported.

Benny Gantz, a member of the war cabinet and both a former prime minister and army general, wrote on X that it was "further proof for our commitment to continue fighting with strength and determination against the murderous terrorism that threatens our citizens."

In a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday morning, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the attack in Jerusalem was "another example of the situation we're in, the endless war that we are fighting against terror organizations, especially Hamas, in these very complicated and challenging times."

Blinken responded that the incident was a reminder "of the threat from terrorism that Israel and Israelis face every single day."

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