After gunfire blasted through a crowded intersection, a nation mourns and prays

Photo: Flash90

INthe wake of the deadly terrorist attack at Jerusalem’s busy Ramot Junction on Monday morning, the families of the murdered are plunged into grief, multiple wounded are fighting for their lives, and questions linger over the catastrophic breach in security.

The attack started at 10:15 a.m. when two Palestinian gunmen, armed with a handgun and locally-made Carlo submachine gun, opened fire on a bus stop and on a #62 bus that had just pulled up. As of press time, there were six known dead and 21 wounded.

Two chareidim — one a commander in the Hashmonaim Brigade, the other an armed civilian — ended the attack by killing the terrorists. After the gunfire ceased, the wider questions began.

The Ramot Junction shooting was not an isolated incident. It is a symptom of the volatile security environment that has developed in Judea and Samaria since October 7. The attack reveals three broad trends: a fundamental change in Israel’s security strategy, mounting political pressure to extend sovereignty, and a sharp rise in Palestinian unrest. Taken together, these dynamics frame one of Israel’s most complex challenges.

Devastating Losses

As of press time, six Jewish households had sustained devastating losses. Family members had gone to catch buses at the Ramot Junction as they likely did every day, not expecting their journeys to end there. The victims who died al kiddush Hashem were:

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Pash, 57, a longtime staff member at Yeshivas Kol Torah in Bayit Vegan, beloved to the talmidim and known for his generosity, humility, and dedication to Torah learning. At the bus stop, he had accepted a ride from someone in a car, but gave up his place to another person who needed medical treatment. Only the night before, Reb Levi Yitzchak had given a brachah at a family wedding in Beitar. He leaves behind his wife and many children, three of whom are yet unmarried.

Yaakov Pinto, 25, a newlywed avreich, married only three months before. A recent immigrant from Spain, he was his parents’ only child. He had learned at Yeshivas Nehora under Rav Avraham Greenbaum and at Yeshivas Derech Emunah in Lod under Rav Zvi Braverman. He leaves behind his wife Osnat.

Rabbi Yosef David, 43, killed while waiting for a bus on his way to kollel with his seforim in his hand. A Ramot resident, he was the husband of a well-known kindergarten teacher and was a devoted mispallel at the Mishkan Shraga shul. He leaves behind his wife and children.

Sarita (Sarah) Mendelson, 60, was the head of municipal relations in the finance department of the Bnei Akiva movement. She was on her way to work at the organization's national office when she was gunned down at the bus stop. Bnei Akiva said in a statement: “We mourn the murder of our dear colleague Sarita Mendelson. We embrace her family during this painful time. May her blood testify in Shamayim.”

Alter Yisrael Mitzner, 31, who learned in Kollel Meisharim under Rav Chaim Tzvi Rosenberg in Givat Shaul. Born in Bnei Brak to a well-known rabbinic family, he learned in Yeshivas Chevron and married Efrat, the daughter of Rav Chaim Greineman, director of Kollel Taharos in Ponevezh. Rav Yisrael was described as refined, brilliant, and fully immersed in Torah. He leaves behind his wife and three young children.

Dr. Mordechai Steintzag, 79, a well-known cardiologist in Ramot who made aliyah from the United States decades ago. He dedicated his life to promoting a healthy diet, and to that end founded the popular Dr. Mark’s Bakery in Beit Shemesh. He was known for supporting Torah institutions in Ramot, and for his personal warmth and generosity.

Infiltration

The attackers — men in their twenties from the villages of Qatanna and al-Qubeiba near Har Adar — were armed with a locally-made Carlo submachine gun and a handgun. They were stopped when a soldier from the Hashmonaim Brigade and an armed chareidi civilian returned fire, killing both terrorists.

Preliminary investigations show the two gunmen infiltrated Israel through a gap in the security barrier near Dahiyat al-Barid, north of Jerusalem — an opening long known to security services. Several months ago, other terrorists entered through the same breach and planted a car bomb at the entrance to the settlement of Atarot, intending to strike a school transport vehicle.

The choice of weapons was telling. One attacker carried a pistol, the other a crudely manufactured “Carlo” submachine gun, based on the Swedish Carl Gustav model and common in the territories. Security officials noted that while the relatively small arms are easy to conceal under clothing and widely available in the Palestinian Authority, their limited firepower reduced the potential casualty count compared to an M16 or Kalashnikov.

Changed Security Posture

The backdrop to the Ramot Junction attack is a fundamental shift in Israel’s security doctrine. IDF commanders describe it as nothing less than a rewriting of the rules of the game. The change began immediately after October 7, as the army moved from a primarily defensive posture to continuous offensive operations, especially in northern Samaria’s refugee camps, fertile ground for militancy.

Since the outbreak of war in October 2023, the Shin Bet has foiled hundreds of serious planned attacks involving shootings, Molotov cocktails, and explosives — some directed by Hamas, most by local cells. The sheer scale of thwarted operations is unprecedented.

“Soldiers on the ground can see the change with their own eyes,” said Lt. Col. A., a battalion commander in Jenin, during a recent tour. “It’s not only the switch from defense to offense — it’s the type of missions. Things we couldn’t even attempt before are now routine. Terror will always exist here. Our job is to make sure it doesn’t spill outward. It’s a constant game of cat and mouse. Cells are easier to intercept. Lone-wolf attackers are much harder to stop.”

The Ramot attack illustrated how quickly reality can flip, but also how sharply the IDF has tightened control in Judea and Samaria. Increasingly, intelligence cues lead to rapid operations in areas once heavily booby-trapped and off-limits. Within hours, suspects are either arrested or neutralized.

Sharp Drop

Despite the carnage in Ramot, data shows terror incidents have dropped dramatically. April 2025 recorded just 46 attacks, three of them significant shootings, stabbings, or bombings — the lowest monthly figure in five years.

The downward trend is stark. In 2023, the monthly average stood at 214, peaking in October with 510 incidents. In 2024, the figure fell to 115; so far in 2025 it has dropped again to 57. Since January, the Shin Bet has foiled about 500 planned attacks, including major plots.

Only last week, joint IDF, Border Police, and Shin Bet operations netted 70 wanted men across Samaria. In one raid, troops arrested 25 suspects, seized 13 rifles, four pistols, and a Carlo weapon, and dismantled several explosive devices.

In January 2025 the IDF launched Operation Iron Wall in the Jenin and Tulkarm refugee camps, beginning with drone strikes and later helicopter gunships. The use of airpower in these areas, absent for years, marked a watershed.

“This is essential for preemptive freedom of action,” a defense official explained. “The issue isn’t whether we strike from the air, but when. Our aircraft are always present.”

Broader Threats

While Israel’s forces maintain relative control on the ground, the bigger concern is external influence. Hamas has openly declared that since the Gaza ceasefire, it views Judea and Samaria as its main arena.

Israeli intelligence assessments are troubling. A recent briefing to the security cabinet indicated that over half of Palestinians in these areas support the October 7 massacre or regard Hamas’s decision to launch it as justified. During the height of the upheaval in 2023, the figure was reportedly above 80 percent.

Another looming challenge is the potential release of hundreds of convicted terrorists into the region  as part of a future hostage deal. The precedent is worrisome: Of 150 prisoners freed in the November 2023 swap, 40 have since been rearrested and six killed in clashes, including targeted airstrikes.

The Ramot Junction attack underscores both sides of the equation: the constant risk of deadly violence and the evolving Israeli strategy to preempt it. The victims’ funerals highlight the human toll; the operational statistics reflect a battlefield in flux. For Israel, the balance between deterrence, political pressures, and a restless Palestinian public remains as fragile as ever.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1078)