The attacker later turned himself in to Israeli authorities, according to a police statement, which did not identify him. Israeli media reported that the attacker was a Palestinian from East Jerusalem. The Old City houses sites that are holy to Jews, Muslims and Christians and is among the areas where Palestinians seek statehood. Israel considers all of Jerusalem its capital – a status not recognized internationally. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register The attack occurred in the early hours of Sunday, as Jews were leaving the Western Wall ceremonies marking the end of the Sabbath. “Jerusalem is our capital and a tourist center for all religions,” Prime Minister Yair Lapid said in a statement, adding that Israeli security forces would “restore calm.” A man stands behind a broken window of a bus after an incident in Jerusalem August 14, 2022. REUTERS/ Ammar Awad read more There was no immediate claim of responsibility by armed factions. The State Department said in a statement that it “strongly condemns the terrorist attack,” adding that at least five American citizens were among the injured. The attack comes a week after the worst outbreak of hostilities in more than a year, when Israeli jets pounded the besieged Gaza Strip in what the military claimed was a pre-emptive strike aimed at preventing an imminent threat to Israel. At least 49 people were killed in Gaza, including civilians and children, and hundreds more were injured during 56 hours of fighting, which also saw more than 1,000 rockets fired at Israel by the Islamic Jihad militant group. Tensions have continued since then, with three gunmen killed in a shootout with Israeli security forces in the West Bank city of Nablus last week. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Written by Dan Williams. Additional reporting by Michael Martina in Washington. Edited by Michael Perry and Frances Kerry Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
