Israeli forces on Tuesday afternoon shot dead two Palestinians at the Beit Einun junction northeast of Hebron, alleging that one intended to carry out a stabbing attack while the other had driven him there.

An Israeli army spokesperson said that Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian “armed with a knife” after he attempted to stab soldiers stationed at the junction.

Locals later identified the Palestinian as 23-year-old Muhammad Ahmad Khalil Kawazba from the nearby village of Sair. They said that they tried to reach his body, but Israeli forces prevented anyone from reaching the scene.

A second Palestinian, identified as 17-year-old Adnan Hamid al-Mashni from the village of Shayoukh, was shot and fatally wounded at the same time while driving near the junction.

An Israeli army spokesperson alleged that Mashni had driven Kawazba to the junction to carry out the attack. She confirmed that Israeli forces shot him, and said he afterward fled the scene.

Mashni was evacuated to al-Mizan Hospital in Hebron with a fatal gunshot wound to his chest. “We tried to save his life, but the wound was very critical,” said Sharif al-Tarada, a doctor at the hospital. “We pronounced him dead.”

A number of Palestinians have now been killed at the Beit Einun junction which lies between Hebron and the village of Sair.

A 16-year-old Palestinian was shot dead at the site on Thursday last week after he allegedly attempted to stab an Israeli soldier.

Since October, more than 150 Palestinians have been killed 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.

(MAAN)