2 Israelis hurt in car-ramming attack in West Bank

Driver is shot dead by security forces after running over soldier and civilian in the Gush Etzion region, south of Jerusalem

A photo of the car involved in a suspected terror attack Monday near the West Bank's Gush Etzion junction, south of Jerusalem. (Magen David Adom)
A photo of the car involved in a suspected terror attack Monday near the West Bank's Gush Etzion junction, south of Jerusalem. (Magen David Adom)

Two Israelis, a civilian and a soldier, were lightly wounded Tuesday in an apparent car-ramming terror attack at a bus stop in the Gush Etzion region of the West Bank, south of Jerusalem.

The Palestinian driver who hit the two men was shot and killed by security forces. His vehicle carried an Israeli license plate, and a knife was found in his possession, the Ynet news site reported.

The IDF said that after hitting the two men, aged 20 and 21, the Palestinian left his car and attempted to stab pedestrians.

Medical teams that arrived at the scene offered initial treatment to the injured men before rushing them to Hadassah Medical Center, Ein Kerem.

“When we arrived at the scene we saw a man standing at the intersection who had been hit by the car,” Magen David Adom paramedic Dror Eini told Ynet.

“He was fully conscious but suffering from light injuries to his extremities. In addition, we saw a 20-year-old who was also fully conscious and walking around, who also had wounds to his arms and legs.”

Earlier Tuesday, an Israeli civilian was killed near the West Bank city of Hebron after he was hit by a truck as he inspected the damage to his own car from rocks thrown by Palestinians. MDA paramedics attempted to resuscitate the man, named as 54-year-old Kiryat Arba resident Avraham Hasano, but he died at the scene. It was not clear if the second vehicle was deliberately driven into him.

The driver who hit Hasano gave himself up to the Palestinian security forces in the area shortly afterward. He said he had hit the man by accident and fled the scene out of fear, Army Radio reported.

Channel 1 reported that Palestinian rioters attacked Israeli forces and medics as they tried to attend to the victim.

The scene where an Israeli man was killed after being run over by a truck driven by a Palestinian, near the West Bank city of Hebron, October 20, 2015. It was not initially clear if the collision was deliberate or not. (Arutz Sheva TV)
The scene where an Israeli man was killed after being run over by a truck driven by a Palestinian, near the West Bank city of Hebron, October 20, 2015. It was not initially clear if the collision was deliberate or not. (Arutz Sheva TV)

Earlier in the day, an IDF army officer sustained light injuries after being stabbed by a Palestinian man in the southern West Bank.

The stabber was shot and killed during the attack, amid what the army said a “violent riot” in the village of Beit Awwa in the Hebron Hills region.

MDA paramedics treated the injured soldier at the scene for a hand wound. The officer, a company commander in the Givati infantry brigade, was expected to be taken to the hospital for further medical treatment.

The Palestinian Authority Health Ministry identified the stabber as Adi Hashem al Masalmeh, 24, from Beit Awwa.

The attacks came after Monday saw a rare respite from several weeks of almost daily shooting and stabbing attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers, both in the West Bank and throughout Israel.

The last month has also seen a surge in violent clashes in the West Bank between Palestinians and Israeli troops.

While many of the attacks have been centered around Jerusalem, the weekend saw a spike in stabbings in and around the flashpoint West Bank city of Hebron, with three stabbing attacks on Saturday alone.

The current outbreak of violence was fueled by rumors that Israel was plotting to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque and take over the Temple Mount, the holiest site to Jews and the third holiest one to Muslims.

Israel has adamantly denied the allegations, saying there are no plans to change the status quo between Muslim worshipers and Jewish visitors to the site, and has accused the Palestinians of incitement. Jews can currently visit the religious holy site but are not allowed to pray there.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.

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