ARIEL, (Palestinian Territories): A Palestinian killed three Israelis in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, stabbing two men to death and knifing several others, then killing another with a stolen car before being shot dead himself, officials said.
The deadly rampage came hours before Israel swears in its new parliament, with far-right lawmakers poised to be members of the cabinet vowing a crackdown on Palestinian violence.
The Israeli army reported a “stabbing attack” near the Ariel Industrial Zone in the northern West Bank.
“A terrorist arrived at the entrance gate of the zone and stabbed civilians in the area,” a statement from the army said.
Israeli emergency medical service Magen David Adom said a 35-year-old man died from a stab wound, while a second man, who was critically wounded, died at the scene. Two other people sustained serious stab wounds.
The attacker then headed to “a nearby gas station and stabbed additional civilians,” the army said, stole a car and fled.
“The terrorist fled the gas station by driving a stolen vehicle... committed an intended car accident and rammed an additional civilian,” the statement said.
The emergency service said a 50-year-old was killed as a result of the car ramming, and another man stabbed on the highway was taken to hospital in a serious condition.
The army said a soldier then “neutralised” the attacker, adding that troops had launched a manhunt for a second individual suspected of involvement.
The Palestinian health ministry named the Palestinian shot dead by Israeli forces as Mohammed Souf, 18, without providing further details.
An AFP journalist reported that the army had raided Souf’s home in Haris, a village near Ariel.
Violence in the West Bank has soared since March, as Israel has launched near daily raids in response to series of deadly attacks on Israelis.
On Monday, Israeli troops shot dead Palestinian teenager Fulla al-Masalma the day before she would have turned 16, saying that she had sped twoards them athe wheel of car.
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