Palestinian Wounds 6 Israeli Settlers, Shot Dead

Facts

• A Palestinian gunman opened fire at a group of Israelis in the settlement of Maaleh Adumim in the West Bank on Tuesday, wounding six people before being shot dead by an off-duty border police officer. Hospitals in Jerusalem said that a teenager was among the wounded and two people were in serious condition.¹
• The attack took place outside a shopping mall. Unverified footage on social media appeared to show the shooter motionless on the ground, wearing a bright yellow vest.²
• Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) praised the attack as “heroic” but didn't claim responsibility, with Hamas saying that the attack was "a natural response" to controversial right-wing Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entering the Al Aqsa Mosque — known as the Temple Mount by Israelis — compound last week.³
• In an audio clip purportedly recorded by the assailant, who was identified as 20-year-old Muhannad al-Mazraa from Azariya, a Palestinian town just east of Jerusalem, he vowed to “die for the sake of Allah” and asked that he “not be claimed by any political faction.”³
• Only a few hours after the shooting attack at Maaleh Adumim, a 15-year-old Palestinian was shot dead after allegedly attempting to carry out a stabbing attack at a bus station near the southern West Bank settlement of Shim’a.⁴
• After the contentious region saw its deadliest year in 2022, which saw 150 Palestinians killed, more than 200 Palestinians have reportedly died this year. Meanwhile, 26 have reportedly died in Palestinian attacks against Israelis.⁵

Sources: ¹France 24, ²Reuters, ³Associated Press, ⁴The New Arab, and ⁵Al Jazeera.

Narratives

• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by The JC. The Border Police officer handled this situation well, and their actions likely prevented the death of civilians. Israeli forces in the West Bank will have to stay alert for Palestinian terrorists whose only goal has been and continues to be killing Israeli civilians.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. Considering that this attack was explicitly retaliation for Ben-Gvir's storming of Al Aqsa, it's ultimately Israel that needs to be held responsible for violence in the holy land, not Palestinians who are only seeking freedom. Attacks like this will, unfortunately, continue as long as Israel continues its brutal occupation.