WEST BANK (Dispatches) – Zionist troops have shot and injured a young Palestinian man over an alleged stabbing attack against the regime’s forces, amid heightened tensions in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Israeli media outlets alleged that the unidentified Palestinian stabbed two soldiers near the Tzrifin military base in central occupied territories on Tuesday morning.
The Magen David Adom emergency service said in a statement that the two injured were in serious and good condition respectively and were taken to a hospital for treatment.
Both of the injured individuals were said to be in their 20s.
The Zionist police said the suspected attacker was arrested and taken for questioning.
Central police commander Avi Bitton said in a statement at the scene of the attack that the suspect was a 20-year-old Palestinian man from the West Bank city of Al-Khalil.
Bitton said the attacker was believed to have acted alone, after initial reports suggested he may have had an accomplice.
The Gaza-based Hamas resistance movement welcomed the operation and tied it to expected attempts by Jewish extremists to sacrifice an animal at the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of Al-Quds ahead of the upcoming Passover holiday.
“We welcome the stabbing attack which is the first response to the war that the Zionist regime is waging in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the intention to make a sacrifice. What is to come will be even worse,” the movement said in a statement.
“Israel and the settlers will remain in a state of fear and lack of security,” the group added.
Over the past months, the occupying regime has ramped up attacks on Palestinian towns and cities throughout the occupied territories. As a result of these attacks, dozens of Palestinians have lost their lives and many others have been arrested.
Most of the raids have focused on Nablus and Jenin, where Zionist troops have been trying to stifle a growing Palestinian resistance against occupation.
On Saturday night, Zionist troops fatally shot a young Palestinian man, identified as Mohammad Ra’ed Baradiyah, 24, as he purportedly hit three soldiers south of Bethlehem in a ramming attack.
The regime’s military said the driver accelerated toward the soldiers and hit them near the West Bank village of Beit Ummar.