2 Palestinians attack soldiers near Nablus, are shot dead
One soldier sustains stab wounds and the other is hit by gunfire directed at attackers, in fifth security incident of the day
Two Palestinian men stabbed an Israeli soldier Sunday in a village south of the West Bank city of Nablus Sunday, the army said. The suspected attackers were shot dead during the attack and the soldiers were lightly and moderately injured.
The troops received treatment for their injuries on site from Magen David Adom paramedics. They were being evacuated to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva.
One suffered stab wounds and the other sustained light injuries from gunfire directed at the attackers, paramedics and the army said.
The attack in Hawara was the fifth stabbing or attempted stabbing of the day.
The Palestinian health ministry said that the attackers were aged 17 and 23.
The attack came shortly after Israeli police officers arrested a Palestinian man in Jerusalem’s Old City in possession of a knife. The man aroused the suspicion on police while walking through the Muristan in the Christian Quarter. When he was asked to show identification, he drew the blade, a police spokesperson said.
No injuries were reported. The man’s identity wasn’t published, but police said he was a Palestinian from the Ramallah area who had entered Israel illegally. The suspect was taken in for questioning.
Earlier in the morning, a Palestinian woman attempted to stab an Israeli near the West Bank settlement of Ma’ale Shomron, west of Nablus. She was apprehended, and no injuries were reported. Initial reports indicated the woman hailed from the neighboring Palestinian village of Azzun.
Meanwhile, another Palestinian woman was arrested at the entrance to Hebron’s Tomb of the Patriarchs in possession of a knife.
Earlier still, an Israeli soldier was stabbed and lightly injured outside Jerusalem’s central bus station, where large numbers of soldiers catch buses back to their bases after a Shabbat break at home.
A security guard who witnessed the stabbing fired at the Palestinian assailant, who surrendered to him and was then arrested, police said.
“A private security guard who saw the event overpowered the terrorist until police arrived at the scene. The terrorist is under arrest,” a police statement said.
Paramedics administered first aid to the victim, 21, who suffered a stab wound in his shoulder, and evacuated him to a hospital in the city, police and rescue services said. He was released several hours later.
AFP contributed to this report.
