Security has been increased at the Damascus Gate, one of the entrances to Jerusalem’s Old City, following the Palestinian terror attack where 23-year-old Israeli Border Policewoman Hadas Malka was murdered on Friday night.
Malka was murdered and four others were injured when two Palestinian terrorists opened fire on policemen near the Damascus Gate. Simultaneously, a third Palestinian attacker stabbed Malka several times critically wounding her. She was rushed to hospital but died of her wounds.
All three terrorists were shot and killed by police. Following the attack, ISIS claimed responsibility. However, Hamas has disputed this claim saying they were responsible, denying the link to ISIS. The attack was praised by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah Party. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has since called on the Palestinian Authority to condemn the attack and has demanded it stop paying money to the murderers’ families during a cabinet meeting on Sunday.
Israel has issued numerous responses since the terror attack aimed at thwarting any future attacks in Jerusalem. Benjamin Netanyahu revoked the entry permits into Israel of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians issued during Ramadan.
Netanyahu has also discussed with police and defense officials about turning Damascus Gate into a ‘sterile area’, meaning the area is closed to civilians. However the plan is still in the very early stages and details have not been disclosed.
Damascus Gate has been the site of dozens of terror attacks since the beginning of the terror wave which started in 2015, composing of 177 stabbing attacks, 117 attempted stabbings, 144 shootings, 58 vehicular (ramming) attacks; and one vehicular (bus) bombing. The wave of terror has claimed the lives of 42 Israelis and numerous foreign nationals, including two Americans and a British student.
Hadas Malka was buried at a military cemetery in the southern Israeli city of Ashdod, with hundreds of people turning up to pay their respects. After the funeral, Prime Minister Netanyahu and his wife Sara visited Malka’s family to express their condolences.
Contributed by Daniel Kosky, CAMERA Intern
