Five Americans, including a pregnant woman and a family of four, were among the eight people wounded when a Palestinian terrorist opened fire on a bus in Jerusalem, according to reports.
The pregnant woman, who is from New York’s Borough Park neighbourhood, suffered abdominal injuries in the attack and was hospitalised in a serious condition, say officials.
The family of four, from Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighbourhood, arrived in Israel last week and were heading to a site known as David’s Tomb, reports Yeshiva World News. Two members of the family were shot, while two others escaped serious injury.
US ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides confirmed on Twitter that Americans were among the wounded.
“Deeply saddened to confirm that Americans were injured in this attack,” Nides stated. “I’ve spoken with the families and will keep them in my prayers.”
The attack took place as the bus was sitting in a parking lot near the Western Wall, the holiest place in Judaism.
The suspected attacker has been identified as a 26-year-old Palestinian from east Jerusalem, and police say he later turned himself in.
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said that the suspect was a resident of Jerusalem who was operating alone and who had previously been arrested by Israel.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she was shocked by the shooting.
“I’m horrified by the terror attack in Jerusalem, and by the news that a family of New Yorkers has been impacted,” she tweeted.
“My team is making contact with (the State Department) to assist however possible. We condemn terror and stand with the Israeli people as they seek peace.”
The incident took place one week after Israeli aircraft carried out air strikes in the Gaza Strip against the Islamic Jihad militant group.
Forty-nine Palestinians, including 17 children and 14 militants, were killed, and several hundred were injured in the fighting, No Israelis were killed or injured.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
