Lions' Gate stabbing | |
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Part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict (2015) | |
View of Lions' Gate | |
The attack site | |
Location | Jerusalem |
Coordinates | 31°46′51″N 35°14′13″E / 31.78083°N 35.23694°E |
Date | 3 October 2015 |
Attack type | Stabbing |
Deaths | 2 (+1 attacker) |
Injured | 2 |
Assailant | Muhanad Shafeq Halabi |
On 3 October 2015, a Palestinian resident of al-Bireh attacked the Benita family near the Lions' Gate in Jerusalem, as they were on their way to the Western Wall to pray. The attacker murdered Aaron Benita, the father of the family, and injured the mother Adele and their 2-year-old son Matan. Nehemia Lavi, a resident who heard screams and came to help was also murdered and his gun taken by the assailant. The attacker, 19 year old Muhanad Shafeq Halabi was shot and killed by police as he was firing on pedestrians.
Adele described Arab residents standing by and laughing as she was attacked, and telling her to "drop dead" when she pleaded for help for her son.[1]
This attack and another stabbing attack, both of which took place during a religious festival that draws many Jews to the holy places in Jerusalem, resulted in Israeli authorities temporarily barring Arab residents of East Jerusalem from entering the walled Old City.