AT LEAST 14 PEOPLE INJURED IN JERUSALEM AFTER CAR-RAMMING INTO PEDESTRIANS

FILE PHOTO:

Thu 06 February 2020:

At least 14 people were reported injured after a vehicle ran into pedestrians in Jerusalem early on Thursday morning in what emergency services said was a suspected car-ramming attack on a popular nightclub.

Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency services said a 20-year-old was in a serious condition after the incident on David Remez Street at approximately 1:45am (11:45 GMT) and was being taken to Shaare Zedek Medical Centre.

Another 20-year-old was taken to Hadassah hospital for moderate injuries to his limbs, Magen David Adom said. The remaining 12 people were taken to hospital with slight injuries, it added.

The pedestrians were standing at a bus station near First Station, a popular entertainment hub, when they were hit.

A military spokesperson told AFP news agency that the army was aware of a possible attack perpetrated by someone driving a vehicle in the area and would have more information later on Thursday.

According to police, the driver fled the scene after the suspected attack, and a manhunt was under way.

There was no immediate indication as to the reason for the possible attack, but it comes amid simmering tension after the release of US President Donald Trump’s controversial plan for the Middle East.

The Palestinians have roundly rejected the proposal, which offers them limited self-rule in scattered chunks of territory with a capital on the outskirts of Jerusalem, while allowing Israel to annex large parts of the West Bank.