An attempted terrorist attack occurred in the early hours of Monday morning near the Mazmoriya checkpoint, situated close to the Har Huma neighborhood in Jerusalem. The Israel Police promptly responded to the incident, stating that "a short while ago, an armed terrorist arrived at the Mazmoriya Crossing in the southern part of Jerusalem, brandishing a knife. Suspicions were raised by the security forces stationed at the checkpoint, leading them to request an inspection. It was at this juncture that the terrorist brandished the knife, prompting a swift response in the form of a gunshot, which successfully neutralized the threat. Police units from the Jerusalem District have since arrived at the scene, and the injured terrorist is currently receiving medical attention."

In response to this alarming incident, the Gush Etzion Regional Council, located on the opposite side of the Jerusalem checkpoint, issued a reassuring message to its residents: "This morning, an attempted stabbing occurred at the Mazmoriya crossing, but thankfully, no casualties were reported. The terrorist has been neutralized, and significant security forces are now present at the scene. Due to the incident, there is a temporary traffic delay in the area."

This incident follows closely on the heels of an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) strike on a Hamas military position in the northern Gaza Strip during the Rosh Hashanah holiday. The IDF spokesperson officially announced the operation, citing the necessity of the strike in light of the ongoing violent protests near the border fence in recent days. The statement also revealed that during these protests, explosives were detonated, and grenades were hurled at IDF forces. Fortunately, no Israeli forces sustained any casualties, as they had been well-prepared for potential disturbances and had employed crowd control measures.

#ראשוני#פיגוע_דקירה#ללא_נפגעים
מחסום מזמוריה ( כביש תקוע - הר חומה )
מחבל #ניסה לבצע פיגוע דקירה ונוטרל.

בתקווה שישתדרג לחציל - בקרוב מאוד pic.twitter.com/kxstVylnUe

— דבורה 🐝⁦🇮🇱 (@devorah555) September 18, 2023

The attack, carried out with the use of a Hermes 450 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), occurred in the vicinity of the Karni crossing and the Sajaya neighborhood, which had been the epicenter of the recent unrest that Hamas had failed to quell. Notably, the Hamas position targeted in the strike had been evacuated in advance, following IDF warnings issued to activists in the area. The decision to strike the position was driven by the need to reinstate deterrence in the region and convey a stern message to Hamas regarding its responsibility for maintaining order on the Gaza side of the border.

A masked Palestinian targets an IDF vehicle with a grenade at the Gaza-Israel security fence. pic.twitter.com/mjaNSrNtKc

— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) September 18, 2023

Responding to the IDF's action, one of the senior Hamas officials, Ismail Radwan, commented, asserting that "the occupation bears full responsibility for any escalation against our people and the holy places." Prior to this statement, reports had surfaced indicating that the IDF had engaged with a group of Palestinian protestors who had resorted to rioting, hurling homemade explosives and stones toward the border fence.