This Day in History: The Sbarro Attack

The period was during the Second Intifada. Numerous attacks had already taken place in various locations across the country, and it was known that Hamas was working hard to plan a major attack inside Israel. While some of these attacks were thwarted, despite numerous warnings, the Sbarro attack couldn't be stopped by the military and police forces.

On the 20th of Av, while the streets of Jerusalem were bustling with families enjoying their vacation, a suicide bomber entered the Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem with an explosive device hidden inside an acoustic guitar. As the restaurant was packed with patrons, he detonated the bomb, causing immense damage: 15 Jews were killed, including 7 children, and approximately 140 others were injured.

Among the victims were 5 members of the same family, the Shchori family. The parents and three of their children perished in the attack, while two other children were severely injured.

The Sbarro attack was one of the largest during the Second Intifada, evoking shocked reactions from Israel and the world. Israel undertook several measures against the Palestinian Authority in response and also arrested those who planned the attack. However, most of them were released a few years later as part of the Gilad Shalit deal.