Bomb blasts in Jerusalem kill one person, injure 14 others in suspected Palestinian attack
- The twin explosions struck half an hour apart, with police suspecting that it was a ‘combined attack’
- Attacks came as Israeli-Palestinian tensions are high, following months of Israeli raids in occupied West Bank prompted by a spate of attacks against Israelis
Two bombs exploded at bus stops on Jerusalem’s outskirts on Wednesday, killing a 16-year-old boy and wounding at least 14 other people, in what appeared to be an attack by Palestinian militants, Israeli authorities said.
They blamed the initial blast, which occurred during rush hour, on an explosive device planted at a bus station near the city exit. The second – about 30 minutes later – hit a bus stop in the vicinity of an urban settlement in the east of the city.
Police spokesman Eli Levi told Army Radio the first blast was caused by a powerful explosive device.
“There has not been such a coordinated attack in Jerusalem for many years,” Levi added.
Israeli army radio said the explosive devices were hidden in bags and at least one of them contained nails to maximise the impact.
Security camera footage aired by N12 news showed the moment of the first explosion with a sudden cloud of smoke billowing from the bus stop. Television showed debris strewn around the site, which was cordoned off by emergency services.