Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the killing of a 6-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man and the injuries to at least five others in a car-ramming terror attack near East Jerusalem’s Ramot neighborhood.

The police classified the incident as a terrorist attack. The perpetrator, identified as 31-year-old Hussein Qaraqa, is an Israeli citizen who lives in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawiya, The Times of Israel reported Feb. 10. Qaraqa's Facebook page featured posts that lauded assaults on both Israeli soldiers and civilians.

“We condemn today’s terrorist attack on civilians, including young children, in Jerusalem. We extend our condolences to the victims and families. We stand by the people of Israel and urge all parties to avoid violence and de-escalate tensions,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a post on Twitter.

He continued his condemnation of the terrorist attack at a Jerusalem bus stop on civilians, including children, through a State Department news statement. Blinken expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and extended sympathies from the U.S.

The Prime Minister's Office and the Jerusalem Municipality collaborated on a joint strategy to enhance the personal safety of the city’s inhabitants following the deadly terrorist attacks in Jerusalem, according to a joint statement issued Feb. 14. The plan involves strengthening security and police units, consolidating intelligence and operational efforts and improving civilian protection, especially at bus stops throughout the city.