A 19-year-old female soldier was stabbed in her chest and hand on Jerusalem’s Light Rail on Thursday. She was treated at the scene by United Hatzalah medics and taken to the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in moderate condition.
A suspect who fled the scene was arrested at the Qalandiya checkpoint. The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said that the army placed roadblocks and held extensive checks in the Gaza vicinity checkpoints. Several suspects were detained for questioning.
An initial police investigation suggests that the woman was stabbed by an Arab man who escaped the scene.
The probe indicated that the assailant waited for the train to stop and then stabbed the woman and immidiately fled the scene. Light Rail traffic in northern Jerusalem has been suspended.
The victim has been put on the respirator machine and is undergoing a series of tests to see whether surgery will be necessary. Her mother is at her bedside. The suspect was arrested at the Qalandiya checkpoint by a police officer and security guard who recognized him. He is being questioned and his personal details are under a gag order.
An eye witness said: "I was sitting on the train, there were no screams or anything to indicate something had happened. When I looked back I suddenly saw people crowding around and as I approached I saw the young woman bleeding. She mumbled, ‘why did this happen to me’ and ‘why do I deserve this’."
A United Hatzalah medic, Dvir Adani, described the scene: "As I arrived I saw a young woman with stab wounds to her chest. She had a low pulse, as she lost a lot of blood. We treated her until she was taken to hospital."
The first attempt at a terror attack on the Light Rail occurred six months ago as stones were hurled at the train in Shufat. A window was shattered but no passenger were injured.