Jerusalem (TPS) – Two Israeli men were fatally wounded in a stabbing attack near Jaffa Gate in the Old city of Jerusalem on Wednesday, December 23, while another man sustained serious injury.

Shortly after 1:00 PM, two Palestinian men started stabbing Israeli civilians outside the gate. They stabbed three men in their upper bodies, managing to seriously wound them before they were shot and neutralized by border policewomen who approached the scene.

Two victims were transported to Shaarei Tzedek hospital, and the third was evacuated to Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital.

One of the victims, 45-year old Rabbi Reuven Biermacher, was critically wounded and required resuscitation at the scene before being transported to hospital. He was transported to Hadassah Ein Karem, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 19:30 PM. He is survived by a wife and seven children.

Another victim, 46-year-old Ofer Ben Ari, additionally suffered gunshot wounds, apparently from the border police fire directed at the terrorists. According to Shaarei Tzedek Hospital spokesperson, despite all medical efforts the man succumbed to his wounds and passed away on the operating table. He is survived by a wife and two children.

Doctors at the Shaarei Tzedek intensive care ward are still fighting for the life of of the third victim.

Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedic Aharon Adler, who arrived at the scene, said: “We saw a man of around 45 lying unconscious, suffering deep stab wounds in his upper body. We immediately put him on an intensive care ambulance and evacuated him to hospital while giving him life saving treatment.”

The two terrorists, identified as Anan Hamad and Issa Assaf from Qalandiya, were neutralized and killed. One died on the scene, while the other was critically wounded and was later pronounced dead by the Hadassah hospital medical staff.

Hamad, 20, was imprisoned in 2010 after he approached a checkpoint in Qalandiya wielding a knife with the intention of being arrested. During the investigation, he claimed that he had been frequently beaten by his father and sought to escape.

His accomplice, 21-year-old Issa Assaf from Qalandiya, had also spent time in prison for various acts of terrorism.

Additional reporting by Alexander J. Apfel and Michael Zeff