A 25-year-old yeshiva student was seriously injured and another man lightly injured in a terror attack early Thursday afternoon at the Jerusalem light rail station in front of national police headquarters near Ammunition Hill. 

Magen David Adom teams on scene at Haim Bar Lev Road treated the seriously injured man and brought him to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in the capital, where he is now in surgery. 

The hospital reported the student arrived in critical condition, was subsequently sedated and breathing through a respirator. 

The second, more lightly injured victim has also been brought to Shaare Zedek Medical Center for treatment.

An initial police investigation revealed the terrorist, 19-year-old Subhi Ibrahim Mahmud Abu Khalifa from Shuafat in eastern Jerusalem, approached the light rail station, stabbed the haredi student in the neck with a knife and tried to escape. 

As he fled, Abu Khalifa passed a light rail guard, who he attacked in an attempt to steal his weapon. The guard fought Abu Khalifa off but the terrorist managed to escape.

Special Patrol Unit forces operating in the area spotted the terrorist running toward French Hill Junction. When Abu Khalifa noticed the forces, he attempted to turn back and enter a moving vehicle. The forces immediately chased after the terrorist, arresting him with the assistance of police reinforcements on the scene.

The terrorist was first brought in for questioning to the Central Unit of Jerusalem District's special duties squad, before being taken into the Israel Security Agency's custody. 

Site of the attack
Site of the attackPolice spokesperson

Gadi Miller, a senior Magen David Adom medic who arrived first on the scene, said "on the road near a bus stop was lying a 25-year-old man stabbed in the upper body. Together with MDA paramedics on scene, we gave him life-saving medical treatment." 

"We also dealt with another victim lightly wounded in the limbs while confronting the terrorist."

Shmulik Avraham, the coordinator of United Hatzalah's emergency and security services, described the moments after the attack. 

"When I arrived in the area, I came across a young haredi yeshiva student who had been stabbed in the upper body near the light rail station. Together with other volunteers from United Hatzalah's motorcycle unit, we gave him medical before he was taken to the hospital."

"Large police forces were acting in the area and prevented the attacker from stabbing other citizens. It's a great miracle, there were no casualties in the event," he added. 

Light rail service was temporarily suspended between Ammunition Hill and Damascus Gate as a result of the attack. 

Security forces on the scene
Security forces on the sceneYehoshua and Aryeh Sherman