Off-duty Israel troops 'kill civilian in Jerusalem attack response'

Off-duty Israeli troops who killed two attackers in Jerusalem on Thursday also took the life of a civilian, footage posted to social media showed.

The civilian has been identified as 38-year-old Civil Service Commission lawyer Yuval Doron Kastelman, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.

The shooting attack, which has been claimed by Palestinian armed group Hamas, killed three people.

Kastelman's family said he had been driving to work and that after spotting the attack, he exited the vehicle with his licensed gun to fight the assailants.

Footage appears to show Kastelman raising his hands and pleading with the two Israeli soldiers not to fire, before he is shot in the stomach.

The lawyer was transported to hospital but succumbed to his injuries. Israeli police have said the incident is under investigation.

News website The Times of Israel said the troops had mistakenly believed Kastleman was an attacker.

A different video from the attack location captures gunfire at a civilian who shot one of the two attackers, Haaretz reported.

It appears to show the same civilian discarding his weapon after he shot the assailant, raising his hands and removing his coat to demonstrate he was not armed. It wasn't clear whether or not the individual pictured was the same civilian who was killed.

Far-right Israeli National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir spoke at the site of the attack soon after it happened, using the opportunity to push his policy of arming all Israelis.

"Despite the criticism from various people, I will continue with my policy of distributing weapons everywhere, both to emergency response teams and civilians," he was quoted as saying by the Jerusalem Post newspaper.

"Guns save lives. We see it time after time. In every place where there's a weapon, civilians, police officers and soldiers save lives."