Four Palestinians killed after stabbing attempts, Israeli army says

Four Palestinians were killed Thursday after allegedly attempting to stab Israeli soldiers in two separate attacks.

Three were killed after they attempted to stab an IDF force at the Gush Etzion junction in the West Bank. Meanwhile, an attempted stabbing against another IDF soldier was reportednear Hebron, also ending without Israeli causalities. The alleged assailant was also shot dead on the scene. 

According to the army, in the first incident soldiers identified three Palestinians they said appeared suspicious approaching the junction from the direction of Beit Fajjar.

A force of reservists was called to the scene to search the group, during which time one of the Palestinians pulled a knife and was shot. The two other Palestinians also had knives and were also shot after attempting to use them against the soldiers, it added.

All three Palestinians were killed and no soldiers were wounded in the incident, which took place at a hitchhiking post.

The Palestinians, brothers Ahmed and Mohammed Kawasbeh and their cousin Ala Kawasbeh, were residents of the village of Sa'ir near Hebron. The three were related to a young Palestinian who was killed on Tuesday.

Their family doubts that the three were attempting to carry out an attack, and is demanding that Israel release footage from security cameras at the junction.

On Tuesday, a soldier serving in reserve duty was lightly wounded in a stabbing attack at the Gush Etzion junction. The Palestinian assailant was shot and killed at the scene.

On Monday afternoon, a 15-year-old Israeli girl suffered minor wounds to her leg when police officers shot and wounded a 16-year-old Palestinian boy from East Jerusalem who was trying to stab police officers in the city. The incident occurred on Haim Bar-Lev Road, which bisects the northern part of the capital.

Source http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.696226?v=C5DC29007A49EB303948DC7AE109B0DC