Damascus Gate Attack: Three Gunmen Killed in Jerusalem After Killing Cop

TEL AVIV — A 19-year-old female Israeli police officer died after three Palestinians armed with automatic weapons, knives and explosives attacked a checkpoint in Jerusalem on Wednesday, authorities said.

Hadar Cohen, an officer with Israel's border police, died in hospital after she was shot during the attack at the city's Damascus gate, Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

The attackers, two 20-year-olds and one 21-year-old, were shot dead at the scene by police and one other female police officer was stabbed during the assault, officials said.

Damascus Gate is a busy plaza that serves as the entrance to Jerusalem's Old City. It has been the scene of past attacks and features an armed security checkpoint.

Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri told NBC News that security officials became suspicious Wednesday when the three suspects arrived at the Gate. One of the men handed over his identification card and another began shooting, according to Samri. She added that the men were from the Jenin area of the West Bank.

All three men had automatic weapons and bomb disposal experts were later called to the scene to diffuse two pipe bombs, according to police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld.

Twenty-six Israelis and one U.S. citizen have been killed in shooting and stabbing attacks since October; Israeli forces have killed at least 155 Palestinians — 101 of them assailants according to authorities, according to Reuters.