Assailant killed while trying to stab soldiers with screwdriver

A Palestinian man attempting to stab soldiers with a screwdriver was shot and killed near the West Bank city of Hebron Thursday morning, the Israeli military said.

The army said the assailant, “armed with a screwdriver, approached a checkpoint near Hebron and attempted to the stab security forces.”

The soldiers opened fire on the man, killing him, the IDF said.

No Israelis were injured in the incident, the second West Bank stabbing attack in less than an hour.

The stabbing attempt took place at the Kvasim Junction near the Beit Hagai settlement south of Hebron.

The Hebron area has been a hotbed of attacks on Israelis, according to figures recently released by the Shin Bet security service, which showed a large number of incidents in the area and a high percentage of assailants come from the southern West Bank during nearly three months of increased violence.

Earlier Thursday a Palestinian stabbed and injured two security guards at an industrial park outside the West Bank settlement of Ariel. Guards at the site shot and killed the attacker during the incident, police said.

One victim, 24, was listed in serious condition after suffering several stab wounds to his upper body. A female guard, also 24, was listed in moderate condition with a stab wounds to her upper body, according to police and the Magen David Adom rescue organization.

On Wednesday two people were killed and a third injured during a stabbing attack next to Jerusalem’s Old City. One man, a rabbi, was suffered serious stab wounds during the attack next to the Jaffa Gate and later died of his injuries. A second man was mistakenly hit by police fire and died after being rushed to a local hospital.

Both attackers were shot and killed by Border Police officers.