By Awad Rajoub and Qais Abu Samra
JERUSALEM (AA) – A Palestinian was shot dead Tuesday by the Israeli army for allegedly trying to carry out a stabbing attack in the occupied West Bank.
Palestine's Health Ministry told Anadolu Agency that the Palestinian Civil Liaison Department — the official contact point with Israel in civil affairs — informed it of "the martyrdom of a Palestinian who was fatally shot by the occupation [Israeli army] south of Bethlehem."
In a statement, the Israeli army said: "There were reports that a stabbing operation was foiled at the Gush Etzion Junction — located between Bethlehem and Hebron southern of the West Bank — and the Palestinian was shot."
For his part, Muhammad Awad, an activist in the settlement resistance field identified the martyr as Ahed Al-Khalil, 35, from the town of Beit Ummar, Hebron.
He added that after the incident, the Israeli intelligence service summoned his father and three of his second-degree relatives to the Etzion center for investigation.
Awad pointed out that Israeli forces closed all entrances to the town and prevented entry and exit.
*Bassel Barakat contributed to this report from Ankara
