An IDF soldier was stabbed in the neck during a security operation in the village of Yatta south of Hebron. The terrorist was shot and wounded by another soldier during the attack. Another terrorist was shot to death. The wounded soldier was evacuated to Hadassah Ein-Kerem Hospital by ambulance. He was reported to be conscious with a gash in his neck.
The IDF reported that the stabbing took place when villagers tried to stop the arrest of Khaled Mahamrah, who was released a few months ago, with more than 1,000 other security prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit. IDF Spokesman Yoav Mordechai said that Mahamrah dealt in money used by terror organizations.
The alleged stabber was identified as Zakaria Abu-Aram. HIs weapons was a paper cutter. He and the other terrorist allegedly rushed soldiers at the front of Mahamrah’s house. Brigadier General Mordechai said that the force acted correctly.
The IDF arrested three terrorists in the Hevron vicinity over night during a series of raids as the Purim holiday got underway.
Israel’s security forces are always on a higher state of alert during the Jewish holidays as terrorists often plan terror attacks for those days.
Recently, there has been a rash of terror attacks in Judea and Samaria, including stabbings. Earlier this week, there were two such attempts.
On Monday, IDF forces tracked and detained two Arabs carrying knives who had attempted to enter the Jewish community of Elon Moreh. The men fled when spotted by local security, but were subsequently captured.
The following day, police arrested an Arab woman from the village of Habla. who reached the security fence of Emmanuel carrying a large knife. She admitted she planned to carry out a stabbing attack.
IDF raids were also conducted in Tulkarem, Tubas, and a village south of Bethlehem overnight.
Those raids are a part of a full-court press by the IDF in Judea and Samaria following the discovery of a network of Hamas terror cells last summer.
Islamic Jihad terror cells in northern Samaria have also been under increasing IDF pressure.
