(JNS) One person was killed and more than a dozen injured on Wednesday in two explosions at bus stops located near entrances to Jerusalem, according to police.
Authorities believe that the source of the blasts were two remotely detonated bombs packed with nails to cause maximum damage.
The first explosion occurred near the main entrance to the Israeli capital shortly after 7 a.m. local time, and the second about 30 minutes later at the Ramot junction.
Eighteen people were injured in the first blast, five seriously, with one later succumbing to their wounds, according to medics. Several people were lightly injured in the second explosion or were suffering from anxiety.
The victims were evacuated to Jerusalem’s Shaare Tzedek and Hadassah Ein Kerem medical centers.
The deceased was identified as teenager Aryeh Shtsupak, a resident of Jerusalem’s Har Nof neighborhood who was studying in a religious school and held Canadian citizenship, according to media reports.
Security forces were searching throughout Jerusalem for potential suspects.
Israel Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai visited one of the scenes and held a situation assessment together with Jerusalem Police District head Doron Turgeman.
“This is a type of attack that we haven’t seen for many years,” said Shabtai.
He called on the Israeli public to be alert for suspicious packages, adding that every bus in the capital would be searched.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a situation analysis following the attacks, together with the head of the Israel Security Agency and the Israel Defense Forces deputy chief of staff, among other officials.
Israeli Prime Minister-desginate Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted: “Praying for the peace of the injured in the combined attack in Jerusalem this morning and strengthening the hands of the security forces operating in the field.”
Meanwhile, Hamas praised the attack, saying in a statement that the “Zionist enemy” was “paying the price today for its crimes and aggression against our [Palestinian] people.”
The attack on Wednesday is the second deadly terrorist incident in as many weeks. Last Tuesday, three Israelis were killed and three others wounded when a Palestinian went on a stabbing and car-ramming rampage in and around the city of Ariel in Samaria.
