Israeli man killed in stabbing attack outside West Bank mall

An Israeli man was stabbed to death in a terror attack next to the Gush Etzion Junction in the central West Bank, south of Jerusalem, on Sunday, succumbing to his injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital, officials said.

After he was stabbed, the victim chased and shot at his attacker, before collapsing to the ground.

He was later named as Ari Fuld, 45, from nearby Efrat.

The terrorist, a 17-year-old Palestinian teenager from the village of Yatta, was then shot by another armed civilian and taken into custody, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Ari Fuld (Facebook)

“A terrorist arrived at the shopping mall at the Gush Etzion Junction armed with a knife. He stabbed a civilian, injuring him seriously. Another civilian who was at the mall neutralized the terrorist,” the army said.

Fuld was taken in serious, unstable condition to Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center, where doctors pronounced him dead.

“With great sadness, we must announce that despite extensive resuscitation efforts the victim did not survive his critical injuries,” the hospital said in a statement.

Following the attack, the Israeli military set up a number of roadblocks in the area. Soldiers also raided the hometown of the teenager, according to Palestinian media.

Security forces arrive at the scene after an Israeli man was stabbed in a terrorist attack at a shopping mall next to the Gush Etzion Junction on September 16, 2018. (United Hatzalah)

Security camera footage from the scene showed the teenager, dressed in black, standing behind Fuld for nearly a full minute before attacking.

After the stabbing, the terrorist ran from the scene but was shot by Fuld and the armed civilian.

“I was shopping in the mall when I heard screams and gunshots next to the entrance. I immediately ran to the place and saw a man, about 40, lying on the ground unconscious, suffering from stab wounds to the upper body,” said one of the first medics at the scene.

اصابة مستوطنين احدهما جراحه خطيرة في عملية طعن بـ مستوطنة غوش عتصيون قرب بيت لحم pic.twitter.com/RlucqGi8GS

— وكالة شهاب للأنباء (@ShehabAgency) September 16, 2018

The stabber was taken to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Hospital Mt. Scopus in moderate condition with multiple gunshot wounds, a hospital spokesperson said.

The Gush Etzion Junction and nearby shopping area, which are used by both Israelis and Palestinians, have been the site of several deadly terror attacks in recent years.