Jerusalem – Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem announced on Wednesday that one of the Israelis critically wounded in a stabbing attack by a Palestinian near Jaffa Gate in the Old City has died.
The 40-year-old man was injured by police gunfire during the terrorist attack at the Jaffa Gate earlier today.
The other two victims remain in intensive care. They are listed in serious-to-critical condition.
Managing Director of Aish HaTorah Rabbi Steven Burg posted on his facebook page that “It is with great sorrow that I must inform you of the passing of Rav Reuven Biermacher HY”D, beloved Rebbe in the Aish HaTorah Spanish program”.
“He spent the morning teaching Torah and was murdered on his way out of the Old City”.
Israeli security forces shot both attackers who were later identified as Palestinians in their early 20s from the West Bank. One died at the scene and the second later, in hospital.
“Paramilitary border policewomen saw terrorists armed with knives stabbing a man,” Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri said. “They fired toward the terrorists and neutralized them.”
Police were investigating a video which had surfaced on social media which appeared to show a man beating one of the shot assailants with a pole, Jerusalem police spokesman Asi Aharoni told Army Radio.
Israel says the violence is a result of a Palestinian campaign of lies and incitement. Palestinians say it stems from frustration at nearly five decades of Israeli military rule.