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Security forces at the scene of the attack at Gush Etzion Junction, October 27, 2015. Credit: Lior Mizrahi
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by Gili Cohen for Haaretz

Four Palestinians were killed Thursday after allegedly attempting to stab Israeli soldiers in two separate attacks.

Three were killed after they attempted to stab an IDF force at the Gush Etzion junction in the West Bank. Meanwhile, an attempted stabbing against another IDF soldier was reported near Hebron, also ending without Israeli causalities. The alleged assailant was also shot dead on the scene. 

According to the army, in the first incident soldiers identified three Palestinians they said appeared suspicious approaching the junction from the direction of Beit Fajjar.

A force of reservists was called to the scene to search the group, during which time one of the Palestinians pulled a knife and was shot. The two other Palestinians also had knives and were also shot after attempting to use them against the soldiers, it added.

All three Palestinians were killed and no soldiers were wounded in the incident, which took place at a hitchhiking post.

The Palestinians, brothers Ahmed and Mohammed Kawasbeh and their cousin Ala Kawasbeh, were residents of the village of Sa'ir near Hebron. The three were related to a young Palestinian who was killed on Tuesday.

Their family doubts that the three were attempting to carry out an attack, and is demanding that Israel release footage from security cameras at the junction.

On Tuesday, a soldier serving in reserve duty was lightly wounded in a stabbing attack at the Gush Etzion junction. The Palestinian assailant was shot and killed at the scene.

On Monday afternoon, a 15-year-old Israeli girl suffered minor wounds to her leg when police officers shot and wounded a 16-year-old Palestinian boy from East Jerusalem who was trying to stab police officers in the city. The incident occurred on Haim Bar-Lev Road, which bisects the northern part of the capital.
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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces shot dead four Palestinians from the town of Sair on Thursday night after they allegedly carried out two separate stabbing attempts in the southern West Bank, Israeli and Palestinian sources said.

In the night's first deadly encounter, three Palestinian cousins were killed after they allegedly attempted to stab Israeli soldiers at the Gush Etzion junction in the southern occupied West Bank.

An Israeli army spokesperson alleged that all three Palestinians were "armed with knives" and attempted to "attack Israeli soldiers guarding the Gush Etzion junction."

She said Israeli forces "thwarted" the attack and "responded to the imminent danger" by opening fire on the Palestinians.

While two were immediately confirmed dead, she said that Israeli emergency services attempted to treat the third Palestinian before he succumbed to his wounds.

A spokesperson for Israeli emergency services Magen David Adom confirmed that no Israelis were injured in the attack.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent said their ambulance crews "were not allowed to get close to the scene."
The three Palestinians were later identified as cousins Ahmad Salim Abd al-Majid Kawazba, Alaa Abed Muhammad Kawazba, and Muhannad Ziyad Kawazba, all from the town of Sair northeast of Hebron.

Shortly after the incident, another Palestinian from the same town, identified as 16-year-old Khalil Muhammad al-Shalaldah, was shot dead by Israeli forces after he allegedly attempted to carry out a stabbing attack at the Beit Einun junction northeast of Hebron.
An Israeli army spokesperson said the teenager was "armed with a knife," but that Israeli soldiers "thwarted the attack, and shot the assailant, resulting in his death." There were no Israeli injuries reported.

Shaladah's brother, Mahmoud al-Shalaldah, succumbed to wounds he sustained during clashes with Israeli forces near Sair on Nov. 13.
Since October, around 145 Palestinians have been shot dead by Israelis, the majority in the occupied West Bank.

While Israel alleges many of those were attempting to attack Israelis when they were shot, Palestinians and rights groups have disputed Israel's version of events in a number of cases.

The attacks that have taken place have claimed the lives of more than 20 Israelis.

The Gush Etzion junction where the three Kawazba cousins were killed on Thursday has been the site of a number of deadly encounters since October.

Another member of the Kawazba family -- 18-year-old Ahmad Younis Kawazba, also from Sair -- was shot dead there on Tuesday after he reportedly stabbed and lightly wounded an Israeli soldier at the junction.
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from BBC World News:

Four Palestinians have been shot dead after trying to stab Israeli soldiers in two incidents in the occupied West Bank, Israel's military says.

Three attackers were killed at Gush Etzion Junction, where similar incidents have occurred, and the fourth was killed near Hebron, the army said.

No soldiers were injured. Palestinian health officials confirmed the deaths.

There has been an upsurge in violence between Israelis and Palestinians in recent months.

"Three attackers, armed with knives, attempted to stab soldiers guarding the Gush Etzion junction," an Israeli military statement said.

Palestinian media named the three as Muhanad Kawazbeh, 20, Ahmed Kawazbeh, 21, and Alaa Kawazbeh, 20, all from the village of Sair, north-east of Hebron.

Shortly afterwards, a Palestinian was shot while tried to stab soldiers near Hebron, an Israeli statement said.

He was later named as Khalil Shalalda, 16, also from Sair.

Twenty-two Israelis have been killed in attacks including stabbings, car rammings and shootings since 1 October.

More than 140 Palestinians have been killed. More than half were said by Israel to be attackers. Others have been killed in clashes with Israeli forces.
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by IMEMC & Agencies Report

Israeli soldiers shot and killed, on Thursday evening, a Palestinian child at the Beit 'Einoun military roadblock, east of the southern West Bank city of Hebron. The Palestinian is the fourth to be killed by Israeli army fire, in Hebron, on Thursday.

Medical sources said the slain child has been identified as Khalil Mohammad Shalalda, 16, from Sa'ir town, near Hebron.

He is the brother of Mahmoud Mohammad Shalalda , who was killed by the Israeli army on November 13, 2015. The Israeli army claimed that Khalil “attempted to stab soldiers manning the roadblock, but they shot his dead." No soldiers were injured in the alleged attack.

Also on Thursday, the soldiers killed three Palestinians near the Gush Etzion settlement block, south of Bethlehem.

They have been identified as Ahmad Salem Kawazba, 19, Ala Abed Kawazba, 19, and Mohannad Ziad Kawazba, 18.