Suspected terror car-ramming attack injures Israeli soldiers in Jerusalem

A car-ramming targeting Israeli soldiers in Jerusalem injured at least 14 people early on Thursday in an attack hailed by Hamas as a "practical response" to US President Donald Trump's controversial peace plan.

The incident occurred shortly before 2:00 am (2400 GMT) outside the First Station, an historic Ottoman-era railway terminus that has been turned into a cultural and entertainment centre with bars and restaurants.

The attacker struck in the street outside where the soldiers had been marching, the army said.

Public radio said they were new recruits on their way to an induction ceremony at Jerusalem's Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray.  

Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said one of the 12 injured in Jerusalem was seriously hurt, the others were lightly injured.

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the incident was being treated as a "terror attack," and said Israeli forces were searching for the assailant.

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The Hamas movement, which controls Gaza, hailed the car-ramming as a "practical response" to US President Donald Trump's controversial Middle East peace plan. 

In a statement, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the attack was part of the "resistance operation" but stopped short of claiming responsibility.  

There have been car-rammings targeting Israeli troops in the past, in the occupied West Bank as well as Jerusalem.

The attack came amid heightened tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, since the release last month of US President Donald Trump's long-awaited peace proposals. 

The Palestinians have angrily rejected the plan, which unilaterally gives Israel most of what it has sought in previous negotiations, including a green light to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank.

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