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DUBAI: The international community condemned a deadly shooting attack in East Jerusalem on Monday that killed at least five people and injured around 15 others, calling for an end to violence and renewed efforts toward peace in the region.

Paramedics said the attack occurred when two assailants opened fire at a bus stop at a busy intersection in north Jerusalem. Six of the injured are in a serious condition. 

Police reported that the attackers also boarded a bus and opened fire inside, targeting civilians waiting at the stop.

In response, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its “strong condemnation of these terrorist acts” and reiterated its rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism that aim to destabilize security and stability. 

The ministry offered its condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to Israel and its people, and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

The Palestinian presidency reiterated its firm stance rejecting and condemning any targeting of Palestinian and Israeli civilians, denouncing all forms of violence and terrorism regardless of their source. 

It stressed that security and stability in the region could not be achieved without ending the occupation, halting acts of genocide in Gaza, and stopping settler violence across the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem. 

The presidency emphasized that the attainment of the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights to an independent and sovereign state with East Jerusalem as its capital, alongside the achievement of security and peace for all, was key to ending the cycle of violence.

The European Union, France, and Germany also issued strong statements condemning the attack. 

EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni called for de-escalation and a ceasefire, while French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that only a political solution could restore peace and stability. 

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul described the incident as a “cowardly terror attack” and offered condolences to the victims’ families, wishing a speedy recovery to those injured.

The deadly incident underscores the ongoing tensions in the region amid the war in Gaza and highlights the urgent need to halt the cycle of violence.

JERUSALEM:  Israel’s military said on Monday it had intercepted a drone launched from Yemen after sirens sounded near Eilat, a day after Yemen’s Houthis hit an airport close to the southern Israeli city with a drone.
Later on Monday, the military said sirens had sounded in the Negev area after the intrusion of another drone. It did not say what had happened to that drone.
Israel’s Ramon Airport near Eilat resumed operations after being briefly shut on Sunday when a drone launched from Yemen struck the arrivals hall.
The Houthis have been launching missiles and drones thousands of kilometers north toward Israel since the start of the war in Gaza, in what the militant group says is an act of solidarity with the Palestinians.
Israel has retaliated by bombing Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, including the vital Hodeidah port.