Two killed in northern Israel by Palestinian stabbing, car ramming attack
· France 24Two people were killed in a stabbing and ramming attack by a Palestinian in northern Israel, Israeli authorities said on Friday. Israel's emergency services said one man, aged around 68, had been run over and had died. Israel's public broadcaster said a woman, aged around 20, had been stabbed to death. Both were pronounced dead at the scene after medics were unable to resuscitate them. A further two people suffered mild injuries, including a teenager, it said.
"Preliminary investigation indicates this was a rolling terror attack that began in the city of Beit Shean, where a pedestrian was run over," the police said in a statement.
"Later, a young woman was stabbed near Road 71, and the suspect was ultimately engaged with gunfire near Maonot Junction in Afula following intervention by a civilian bystander," it said, adding that the attacker was hospitalised with injuries.
Israeli police said the alleged attacker was a Palestinian resident of the occupied West Bank.
Read moreUK, Canada, Germany and others condemn Israel’s West Bank settlement expansion
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said he had instructed the military to respond forcefully in the West Bank town of Qabaitya, where he said the assailant came from, to thwart any further attacks.
The Israeli military said it was "preparing for an operation" in the area.
The war in Gaza has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and sparked a surge of violence in Israel and the occupied West Bank, with a rise in attacks by Palestinian militants as well as Israeli settler violence against Palestinians.
In September, Palestinian attackers opened fire at a bus stop during the morning rush hour in Jerusalem, killing six people and wounding another 12, according to Israeli officials.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)