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Photos:
Scene. Credit: Israeli police. Published by Maan News

Scene. Published by Maan News

The scene of the stabbing in Jerusalem, April 1, 2017. Credit: Olivier Fitoussi. Published by Haaretz
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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an)
April 1, 2017, 3:37 pm. Updated 9:44 pm.

Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian teenager in occupied East Jerusalem's Old City on Saturday, after he carried out a stab attack that left three Israelis lightly injured, with witnesses asserting Israeli police could have easily detained the boy without killing him.

Israeli police spokeswoman Luba al-Samri said in a written statement that a 17-year-old Palestinian armed with a knife stabbed and lightly injured two "Jewish young men" -- aged 18 and 23, at around 3:30 p.m.

Israeli forces chased after the teen, who ran inside a building that had its door left open, al-Samri said. As Israeli police struggled to detain him, one policeman was lightly injured, according to al-Samri.

More Israeli police officers arrived to the scene and opened heavy fire on the boy, killing him.

The slain Palestinian was identified by the Palestinian Ministry of Health as 17-year-old Ahmad Zahir Fathi Ghazal from Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank.

An eyewitness told Ma’an that he saw the the boy stab “two settlers” on al-Wad street in the Old City and escape into the nearby building, before Israeli forces ambushed Ghazal in a small apartment, which had no alternate exit.

“Then we heard sounds of intensive shooting coming from the building," he said."They could have detained him -- he was surrounded by a large number of soldiers. But they executed him."

According to the witness’ testimony, a female border police officer was seen exiting the building with a minor foot injury.
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Three Wounded in Suspected Jerusalem Stabbing Attack
Palestinian suspect, 17, shot dead by police.

by Nir Hasson for Haaretz
Apr 01, 2017 3:30 PM

Three people were hurt in a suspected stabbing attack in the Old City in Jerusalem on Saturday afternoon, according to the police and Magen David Adom emergency service.

The suspected assailant, a 17-year-old Palestinian, was shot dead. Palestinian reports identified his as Ahmad Gazal, a resident of Nablus.

According to the MDA, a police officer was moderately wounded and two civilians, aged 18 and 23, were lightly hurt in the incident. All were taken to local hospitals for treatment. 

According to the police, the suspect fled after stabbing the two civilians on Hagai Street. He tried to hide in a residential building but was chased down by police. An officer was wounded in the struggle with the knife-weilding suspect, who was then shot dead by another officer. 

On Wednesday, a Palestinian from East Jerusalem was shot and killed by police officers after pulling a pair of scissors and trying to stab a group of officers by the Old City's Damascus Gate.

More details to come.