Jerusalem was rocked by one of the deadliest attacks in recent years on Monday, September 8, 2025, when two Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a crowded bus stop at the Ramot Junction on the city’s northern edge. The assault left six Israelis dead and at least a dozen others wounded, plunging the city into grief and reigniting tensions across the region.
The attack unfolded just after 10:15 a.m. local time, as commuters waited for buses on a busy morning. According to Reuters, dashboard camera footage captured the terrifying moment as shots rang out, sending people fleeing in all directions. The Israeli police later confirmed that the two gunmen, identified as Muthanna Naji Omar, 20, from Al-Qubeiba, and Muhammad Bassam Taha, 21, from Qatanna, arrived at the scene by car. They opened fire not only at the bus stop but also reportedly boarded a bus to continue their rampage before being shot dead by a soldier and an armed civilian. Israeli police and rescue teams responded within minutes, but the carnage was already done.
Victims of the attack included a 50-year-old man, a woman in her fifties, and three men in their thirties. Later that day, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar confirmed that a sixth person had succumbed to injuries. Ambulance services reported that at least eleven others were wounded—six of them listed in serious condition, with the total number of injured exceeding twenty, according to Reuters. Among those killed was a Spanish citizen, as Spain’s foreign ministry later confirmed, and France, the EU, and the United Arab Emirates joined the chorus of international condemnation.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and terror. "Suddenly I hear the shots starting… I felt like I was running for an eternity," said Ester Lugasi, who was injured in the attack, speaking to Israeli TV from her hospital bed. "I thought I was going to die." The aftermath was grim: bullet holes riddled the windshield of a nearby bus, and bodies lay on the road and sidewalk as paramedics rushed to treat the wounded.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at the scene about two hours after the shooting, his scheduled court appearance for an ongoing corruption trial postponed in light of the tragedy. Addressing the nation, Netanyahu declared, "We are fighting a war on multiple fronts," referencing ongoing hostilities in Gaza and the West Bank. He praised the quick action of the soldier who fired on the attackers, noting that he belonged to a newly-formed unit for ultra-Orthodox Jewish soldiers. Netanyahu also vowed to pursue anyone who aided the gunmen, as Israeli forces launched a manhunt and encircled Palestinian villages near Ramallah to "thwart terrorism," according to statements cited by Newsweek and Reuters.
The Israeli military, under orders from Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir, imposed a full closure on the areas from which the attackers originated. Soldiers and police erected military roadblocks, closed entrances to several towns and villages northwest of Jerusalem—including Qatanna, Biddu, Beit Anan, and Beit Duqqu—and conducted raids and interrogations. According to IMEMC and other local sources, these operations sparked protests, with soldiers reportedly firing tear gas and live rounds, though no injuries were reported in the ensuing unrest. In the At-Tur neighborhood of Jerusalem, a young man was arrested on suspicion of transporting the attackers, while another resident of East Jerusalem was also detained in connection with the shooting.
Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that governs Gaza, praised the attackers as "resistance fighters" and issued a statement calling the operation "a natural response to the crimes of the occupation and the genocide war it is waging against our people." The group’s statement, as reported by Newsweek and IMEMC, insisted that "its plans to occupy and destroy Gaza City and desecrate the Al-Aqsa Mosque will not go unpunished." Islamic Jihad, another Palestinian militant group, also praised the shooting, though neither group formally claimed responsibility.
The U.S. State Department quickly condemned the attack, with a statement on X reading: "The United States condemns terrorism and stands alongside our friend Israel. Our prayers are with the victims and their families." President Donald Trump, who earlier that day had posted on Truth Social about a potential ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, reiterated his push for an end to the conflict, writing: "Everyone wants the Hostages HOME. Everyone wants this War to end! The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one!"
The timing of the attack could not have been more disruptive. As Newsweek noted, it came just hours after Trump’s remarks about a possible peace deal, and analysts warned that such violence threatens to derail fragile ceasefire negotiations. The ongoing war in Gaza has already claimed more than 64,000 Palestinian lives, according to the Hamas-run Palestinian Health Ministry, and has led to a surge in violence across Israel and the occupied West Bank. Attacks by Palestinian militants in Israeli cities have increased since the October 7, 2023 massacre—when Hamas and allied groups killed over 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 others—while settler violence against Palestinians has also risen.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, head of the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, condemned "any targeting of Palestinian and Israeli civilians" and "denounced all forms of violence and terrorism, regardless of their source." His statement echoed calls by the international community for restraint and dialogue, even as the cycle of violence appears to deepen.
Monday’s attack drew immediate comparisons to previous incidents, including the November 2023 shooting at a Jerusalem bus stop that killed three people and the October 2024 attack in Tel Aviv that left seven dead. As Reuters and The New York Post pointed out, these high-profile assaults have become more frequent in the shadow of the ongoing conflict, underscoring the volatility of the current moment.
As the dust settles, Jerusalem remains on edge. Security forces continue their search for potential accomplices and explosives, while the city’s residents mourn the loss of life and brace for what may come next. The events at Ramot Junction serve as a stark reminder of the enduring complexity and heartbreak of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where each act of violence reverberates far beyond the immediate devastation, shaping the prospects for peace—or renewed war—in the months ahead.