JERUSALEM (TPS) An Israeli man who was accidentally shot and critically injured by police during a Jerusalem stabbing succumbed to his wounds Wednesday night. A second man died of injuries from the stabbing.
The stabbing attack took place near Jaffa Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem on Wednesday, Dec. 23. Another man sustained serious injury.
Shortly after 1 p.m. (Jerusalem time), two Palestinian men started stabbing Israeli civilians outside the gate. They stabbed three men in their upper bodies, managing to seriously wound them before they were shot and neutralized by border policewomen who approached the scene.
One of the victims, Ofer Ben Ari, in his 40s, was critically wounded by police gunfire and required resuscitation at the scene before being transported to Shaare Tzedek hospital. According to the hospital spokesperson, despite all medical efforts he succumbed to his wounds and passed away on the operating table. He is survived by a wife and two children.
Rabbi Reuven Biermacher, also in his 40s, was critically wounded at the scene before being transported to Hadassah Ein Karem, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 7:30 p.m. He is survived by a wife and seven children.
Another victim was also transported to Shaarei Tzedek hospital. Another shock victim was treated and also transported to hospital.
Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedic Aharon Adler, who arrived at the scene, said: We saw a man of around 45 lying unconscious, suffering deep stab wounds in his upper body. We immediately put him on an intensive care ambulance and evacuated him to hospital while giving him life saving treatment.
The two terrorists, identified as Anan Hamad and Issa Assaf from Qalandiya, were neutralized and killed. One died immediately, while the other was critically wounded and was later pronounced dead by the Hadassah hospital medical staff.
Hamad, 20, was imprisoned in 2010 after he approached a checkpoint in Qalandiya wielding a knife with the intention of being arrested. During the investigation, he claimed that he had been frequently beaten by his father and sought to escape.
His accomplice, 21-year-old Issa Assaf from Qalandiya, had also spent time in prison for various acts of terrorism.
Additional reporting by IJN, Alexander J. Apfel and Michael Zeff
*This developing story was updated Dec. 23 at 11:20 a.m. MST. Comments should be sent to [email protected]*
