Three Palestinians carry out shooting, car-ramming attacks, shot dead: Israeli army

JERUSALEM – Agence France-Presse

REUTERS Photo

Three Palestinians carried out two attacks - a shooting and a car-ramming - on Israelis in the southern occupied West Bank on March 14 before they were shot dead, the Israeli army said.

“Two assailants opened fire at pedestrians waiting at a bus stop at the entrance of Kiryat Arba [near Hebron]. Forces guarding the area responded and shot the assailants, resulting in their deaths,” a military statement read.  

“Moments later, in an additional attack, a vehicle rammed into a military vehicle responding at the scene. Forces responded to the immediate danger and shot the assailant, resulting in his death.” 

The army said a soldier was wounded in the shooting attack, and three others lightly wounded in the car-ramming.

A military spokeswoman said the assailants used a pistol and a submachine gun.  

The Palestinian health ministry named the perpetrators as Qassem Abu Ouda, 30, and Amir Juneidi, 22, from Hebron, and Yousef Taraya, 18, from the nearby village of Bani Naim.

Hebron has long been a source of tensions, with several hundred Israeli settlers living in the heart of the city under heavy military guard among around 200,000 Palestinians.

Israeli security forces have noted a recent surge in shooting attacks in Jerusalem and the West Bank following five-and-a-half months of Palestinian attacks.   

Since Oct. 1, 2015, a wave of violence has killed 193 Palestinians, 28 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese, according to an AFP count.

Most of the Palestinians were killed while carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks.

Others were shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes or demonstrations, while some were killed in air strikes on Gaza.

Many analysts say young Palestinians are fed up with Israeli occupation, while Israel blames incitement by Palestinian leaders and media as a main cause of the violence.