An Israeli civilian was killed in a knife attack by two Palestinians in the southern West Bank. Three other Israelis were injured, the Israeli army announced on Tuesday. According to information, the armed attacker was shot by soldiers. Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service also reported one fatality. The person killed was Aaron Cohen, a resident of the Kiriat Arba settlement near Hebron, the city hall announced.
The incident reportedly occurred at the Gush Etzion crossing between Hebron and Bethlehem in the southern West Bank. Israel has occupied the Palestinian territories since 1967. According to Israeli media, a driver initially crashed his car into a group of people. At least one person then got out of the vehicle and stabbed people present.
The Israeli army spoke about a terrorist attack and said soldiers had killed two suspected perpetrators after a ram and knife attack. Explosives were found in his vehicle. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized the fact that “the Palestinian Authority did not condemn this heinous terrorist attack,” which claimed the life of “a 71-year-old man.”
Young people are among the victims
Magen David Adom said three people were injured. A 15-year-old teenager suffered “internal injuries” and a man and a woman were also injured. Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem said the woman was injured “by gunfire” and her life was in danger. According to Israeli media, he was injured in the incident due to army fire aimed at the attackers.
Since the attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamic organization Hamas on October 7 2023 and the resulting war in the Gaza Strip, violence in the West Bank has also increased. According to health authorities in Ramallah, at least 1,007 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since then, including armed attackers. According to Israeli figures, at least 44 Israelis were killed in Palestinian attacks in the same period.
