Palestinian Shot After Attempted Stabbing Attack at Army Post in West Bank, IDF Says

A Palestinian was "neutralized" after attempting to carry out a stabbing attack of an Israeli soldier by the northern West Bank settlement of Kedumim, the Israel Defense Forces said on Wednesday.

The IDF reported no injuries on the Israeli side.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, the 20-year-old attacker - Aref Lahlouh - from the Jenin refugee camp - died after being shot by the army.

Hamas later announced Lahlouh was one of their fighters and died "on a heroic mission"

Lahlouh's death brings to 19 the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire this year. Nearly 150 Palestinians were killed last year, making it the deadliest since 2004, according to figures published by the Israeli rights group B'Tselem.

Tensions have been high for months as Israel has been conducting nightly arrest raids in the West Bank, which were prompted by a spate of Palestinian attacks against Israelis last spring. Some 30 people were killed in Israel by Palestinians in 2022.

Israel says most of the Palestinians killed have been militants. But others including youths protesting the incursions or people not involved in the violence have also been killed.

Earlier Wednesday, a Palestinian was shot dead when Israeli forces demolished the home of Palestinian gunman Udai Tamimi, who Israel said was behind the East Jerusalem drive-by shooting, last October

The home demolition came in the first weeks of Israel’s new far-right government, which has pushed a hard line against the Palestinians and promised to ramp up settlement building in the occupied West Bank.