Israel's army confirmed that a knife-wielding Palestinian teenager has been shot dead after he attempted to attack IDF soldiers near a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank on Monday, according to The Times of Israel.
The teenager, identified as 17-year-old Ahmad Abed Alatif Toba, has allegedly attempted to cross the security barrier into Israel. Hiding in a bush, he was confronted by Israeli soldiers who were in the area.
"Soldiers identified a suspect infiltrating the security fence near the community of Salit, east of Kfar Saba. When forces arrived at the scene the assailant drew a knife and attempted to stab the soldiers. Responding to the imminent threat, the force fired towards the attacker, resulting in his death," the Israeli army said in a statement, according to the AFP.
The knife-wielding youth was allegedly shot five times at close range. Toba's death comes as the latest in a string of fatalities in the increasing conflict between Israel and Palestine, which has been marred by intense violence in recent months. Since October, a wave of knife, gun, and car-ramming attacks have plagued Israelis in the area. Most of the suspects were identified as Palestinians.
The violence has claimed lives from both sides of the conflict, with about 25 Israelis being killed by Palestinians in a series of attacks. Palestinians have felt the brunt of the conflict as well, with about 167 being killed since October last year, reported Al Jazeera.
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