Israeli security personnel thwarted a stabbing attack at a checkpoint between Jerusalem and Ramallah in Samaria on Thursday.
According to initial reports, the terrorist advanced towards Israeli troops guarding the Ofer checkpoint while holding a knife.
The assailant was “neutralized,” reports said. His condition was not immediately clear.
No casualties to Israeli forces were reported in the incident.
Two Israel Defense Forces soldiers died on Wednesday night after being seriously wounded in a terrorist car-ramming near Nablus (Shechem) in Samaria, the military announced on Thursday morning.
The slain troops were identified as Staff Sgt. Eliya Hilel, 20, from Tel Zion, and Staff Sgt. Diego Shvisha Harsaj, 20, from Tel Aviv. Both belonged to the Kfir Brigade’s Nahshon Battalion.
Earlier on Wednesday, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged immediate government action after Palestinian terrorists fired on central Israel from northern Samaria for the second time this week.
“Terrorism must be eradicated everywhere, even if it means Tulkarem [in Samaria] will look like Gaza looks today,” tweeted Smotrich, who oversees civilian issues in Judea and Samaria in the Defense Ministry.
Judea and Samaria saw a dramatic rise in Palestinian terrorist attacks in 2023 compared to the previous year, with shootings reaching their highest level since the Second Intifada of 2000-05, per IDF data.
Between Oct. 7 and Jan. 15, Rescuers Without Borders first responders recorded more than 2,600 Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis in Judea and Samaria, including 760 cases of rock-throwing, 551 fire bombings, 12 attempted or successful stabbings and nine vehicular assaults.
