Israeli soldier dies of wounds sustained in Thursday morning shooting attack in south Jerusalem

By Saed Amouri

JERUSALEM (AA) – An Israeli soldier died from wounds sustained in a shooting attack on a military checkpoint between Jerusalem and Bethlehem on Thursday morning, raising the total number of Israeli soldiers killed since Oct. 7 to 372.

“Abraham Fitina, 20, succumbed to his injuries following the shooting attack at a military checkpoint south of Jerusalem,” the Israeli police said in a statement.

Earlier, Israeli police reported that seven Israelis were injured in the attack.

The police announced that security forces at the checkpoint killed three people who arrived in a vehicle from the West Bank and opened fire on their positions.

Meanwhile, the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, claimed responsibility for the attack on Thursday evening, saying “a group affiliated with the brigades targeted Israeli forces at the military checkpoint between north Bethlehem and south Jerusalem, killing and injuring a number of Israeli soldiers in retaliation for the bloodshed in Gaza.”

This incident occurred amid the 41st day of Israel's intensified onslaught on the Gaza Strip, in addition to raids, arrests, and clashes in the occupied West Bank.

* Writing by Rania Abu Shamala