28-year-old rushed to hospital after Palestinian attacks him with screwdriver on bus outside Neve Daniel; assailant shot dead by another passenger
An Israeli man was seriously wounded Thursday morning in an apparent terror stabbing near the West Bank settlement of Neve Daniel, south of Jerusalem.
The 28-year-old was assaulted by another passenger, a Palestinian armed with a screwdriver.
The attacker was shot dead by an armed passenger on the bus, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed.
Palestinian health officials identified the attacker as Nidal Juma’a Ja’afra, 30.
The stabbing comes amid one of the worst terror waves in recent year, which has seen 11 people killed since last week: four people in a stabbing and ramming attack in Beersheba, two in a shooting in Hadera, and five in a shooting in Bnei Brak.
Security forces have been placed on high alert and ordered to crack down on any potential terror cells and individuals seen as a possible danger, both inside Israel and in the West Bank.
Officials have warned that the Muslim holy month of Ramadan — which is set to begin over the weekend — could raise tensions still further. Israeli cabinet ministers decided on Wednesday night not to initiate a crackdown over Ramadan so as not to feed an escalation of violence.
Thursday morning also saw a large-scale Israeli arrest operation in the West Bank city of Jenin, with at least two Palestinians killed in exchanges of fire between Israeli commandos and Palestinian gunmen. Palestinian media identified the two dead as Sanad Abu Atiyeh, 17, and Yazid al-Sa’adi, 23.
Palestinian health officials said that 14 Palestinians were struck by Israeli bullets, with three seriously wounded and one in moderate condition, in addition to the two killed.
One soldier was lightly wounded and taken to the hospital for treatment, according to the army.
As reported by The Times of Israel