Yagur Junction bombing

Overview

On the morning of April 10, 2002, a suicide bomber detonated explosives aboard Egged commuter bus line number 960 as it passed through Yagur Junction in northern Israel, east of the city of Haifa. The attack occurred at approximately 7:30am. Eight people were killed in the bombing, and sources report 19 people were injured overall; 14 were injured in the immediate blast aboard the bus. Several motorists were also injured when their vehicles were thrown from the highway by the force of the explosion.

Attack and claim of responsibility

The bombing took place on a commuter bus traveling through Yagur Junction, a location in northern Israel near Haifa. Later on the same day, Ismail Abu Shanab, a senior leader of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, publicly claimed responsibility for the attack on behalf of the organization. Abu Shanab stated that the bombing "is a clear message that our people will not surrender and will not give up."

Context

The Yagur Junction bombing occurred during a period of heightened conflict, coming as the fourth suicide bombing in the 13 days since Israel had launched Operation Defensive Shield, a large-scale military operation in the West Bank. Following the bombing, the Israeli security cabinet convened and decided that Operation Defensive Shield would continue. The cabinet also called off any further Israeli troop withdrawals from West Bank towns that had been under consideration prior to the attack.