Jerusalem late Tuesday, August 19, news reports said.
The apparent suicide attack came just hours after a devastating bomb explosion at the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, that reportedly killed an estimated 20 people.
In a statement obtained by BosNewsLife the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) said the bomber in Jerusalem "set off a massive explosion in the middle of a double-length bus."
The bus was "splitting in half…instantly leaving…a scene of horrific carnage on Shmuel Hanavi street in downtown Jerusalem," said the ICEJ News Service.
DOZENS WOUNDED
A trailing bus was apparently also impacted by the blast. Israeli press reports said up to twenty people are dead and over 100 wounded have been evacuated to area hospitals.
"Israeli authorities are stressing that more bodies were still trapped on the wrecked bus and more time was needed to check for additional explosives before the bodies are cleared and an accurate death toll is established," said the ICEJ News Service.
The bus was on its way from the Western Wall area in the Old City towards the Har Nof neighbourhood, meaning many passengers were likely ultra-Orthodox Jews.
MANY CHILDREN
Israel Radio said many children were involved in the explosion. Initial Israeli TV reports from the site included footage of a badly bloodied youngster being whisked into an ambulance.
"The explosion occurred around 9 PM and was heard rippling through surrounding neighborhoods," the ICEJ said.
There has as yet been no claim of responsibility, but police were reportedly checking the possibility that the terrorist was disguised as a haredi Jew.
It came just a week after that two Israelis were killed and at least 12 more were injured in two separate Palestinian suicide bombing attacks outside a shopping mall east of Tel Aviv and at a gas station on the edge of the Samarian town of Ariel.
