Another militant attack: Palestinian hotel staffer stabs 2 guests in Jerusalem; Hamas praises assault

A Palestinian employee working at a hotel stabbed two guests on Friday in Jerusalem , second such incident in the area this week.

The assailant identified as a resident of Shuafat in east Jerusalem, worked in the hotel kitchen at Kibbutz Tzuba. At the time of attack, he reportedly emerged into the dining room and attacked two men, aged around 50 and 25, reported AP.

Israeli paramedics said both sustained stab wounds to their torsos; the older victim was left in critical condition while the younger was hospitalized with serious injuries.

Israeli police described it as a militant attack .

Police said an off-duty officer and the hotel’s dining manager overpowered the attacker until security forces arrived and arrested him. He was taken into custody along with three others suspected of aiding the assault.

Earlier this week, two Palestinians from the West Bank opened fire at a Jerusalem bus stop, killing six people. The attack was claimed by Hamas.

The latest violence comes against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, launched after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, assault. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and stoked unrest in Israel and the occupied West Bank.