Two Palestinians shot dead after reportedly stabbing Israeli soldier

Israeli forces have shot dead two Palestinians who stabbed and wounded an Israeli soldier in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, according to the Israeli army.

It is the latest incident in 12 weeks of heightened violence in the region.

Almost daily Palestinian stabbings, car-rammings and shooting attacks have killed 20 Israelis and one US citizen, raising fears of a wider escalation a decade after the last Palestinian uprising subsided.

Since the start of October, Israeli forces or armed civilians have killed at least 130 Palestinians, 81 of whom authorities described as assailants. Most of the others have been killed in clashes with security forces.

In the latest fatal incident, the Israeli military said two Palestinians stabbed a soldier in the village of Hewara, near the West Bank city of Nablus.

“Forces on site responded to the imminent danger and fired towards the attackers, resulting in their death. An initial inquiry suggests an additional soldier was injured as a result of the fire directed towards the attackers,” the military said in a statement.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said the two Palestinians were relatives, aged 17 and 23.

Earlier in the day, a Palestinian stabbed and wounded a soldier near Jerusalem’s main bus station. The assailant was overpowered by a security guard and arrested, police said.