On This Day: The Infamous Bus 32A Attack and Its Legacy
On this day in history, 17 years ago, a suicide bomber attacked a bus near Tzomet Pat in Jerusalem, causing significant loss of life.
- דבי רייכמן
- פורסם ח' תמוז התשע"ט
The scene of the attack (Photo: Flash90) #VALUE!
On the 8th of Tammuz, 5762 (June 18, 2002), a suicide bomber from Shechem, a Hamas operative, traveled through Bethlehem to the Arab neighborhood of Beit Safafa in Jerusalem. He boarded bus 32A, which departed from Gilo at 7:50 AM. The bus was crowded as students were heading to school and elderly individuals were on their way for early shopping.
Immediately after boarding, the bomber detonated his explosive belt. The blast, which completely destroyed the front section of the bus, killed 19 people, most of whom were mentioned as either very elderly or young teenagers, may their memories be a blessing. Seventy-four others were injured.
In response to this attack and another that occurred the next day, the IDF launched Operation "Determined Path," which included numerous arrests, raids, and ambushes in Judea and Samaria, aiming to dismantle the terror infrastructure and halt the attacks.
