Israeli police gathered at the scene of an attack by a Palestinian gunman, who opened fire outside an east Jerusalem synagogue Friday night Police said the gunman arrived at about 8:15 p.m. and opened fire, hitting a number of people before he was killed by police. TV footage showed several victims lying in the road outside the synagogue being tended to by emergency workers. The attack, which police described as a "terrorist incident," underlined fears of an escalation in violence after months of clashes in the West Bank culminating in a raid on Thursday that killed at least nine Palestinians. There was no initial claim of responsibility for the synagogue attack, which took place as worshippers attended Sabbath services on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, but a spokesman for the Islamist militant group Hamas said the incidents were connected. "This operation is a response to the crime conducted by the occupation in Jenin and a natural response to the occupation criminal actions," Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said. The smaller militant group Islamic Jihad also praised the attack without claiming responsibility. https://www.voanews.com/a/us-sees-urgent-need-for-de-escalation-in-israel-west-bank---white-house-/6937220.html » Subscribe to VOA News: https://bit.ly/3KIPysi » Watch more VOA News video: https://www.youtube.com/c/VOANews Voice of America (VOA) is the largest U.S. international broadcaster, providing news and information in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly audience of 236.8 million people. VOA produces content for digital, television, and radio platforms. It is easily accessed via your mobile phone and on social media. It is also distributed by satellite, cable, FM and MW, and is carried on a network of approximately 3,000 affiliate stations. Since its creation in 1942, Voice of America has been committed to providing comprehensive coverage of the news and telling audiences the truth. Through World War II, the Cold War, the fight against global terrorism, and the struggle for freedom around the globe today, VOA exemplifies the principles of a free press. Connect with VOA News: » VISIT OUR WEBSITE: https://www.voanews.com/ » LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/voanews » FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/voanews/ » FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/VOANews