The Israeli army reported that two Palestinians were killed in two attacks in the illegal colonies of Karnei Tzur and Gush Etzion, north of Hebron in the southern part of the occupied West Bank, and added that four Israelis were injured.
Update: The two Palestinians have been officially identified as Mohammad Ihsan Yaqin Maraqa, 18, and Zohdi Nidal Abu Afifa, 19, from Hebron.
The army stated that shortly before midnight on Friday, an attack was carried out near a gas station in the Gush Etzion colonialist bloc, wounding two people when a vehicle exploded, and added that one Israeli was reported missing before the soldiers killed a Palestinian who reportedly carried out the attack.
Israeli Magen David Admon emergency services stated that the attack injured two Israelis, a man and a youth, who suffered gunshot wounds before being moved to a hospital with minor wounds.
Israeli Ynet News quoted a statement by the Israeli army claiming that a vehicle caught fire at the gas station in Gush Etzion before the soldiers rushed to the scene and opened fire at the Palestinian who “left the car and attempted to attack them.”
The army also said that more soldiers were deployed in the area and initiated searches in case more attackers were involved and had fled the scene.
The Israeli army believes that the person at the gas station in Etzion intended to carry out a bombing attack but stepped outside the car when he realized it was burning.
He then attempted to attack workers at the gas station but was shot by the soldiers when he ran towards them, the army claimed.
According to the Israeli Radio, one soldier and one officer were injured by friendly fire in the incident in Gush Etzion.
Not long after the first incident, another person opened fire at the Karmei Tzur illegal colony and attempted to ram his car into its gate, before a security guard opened fire at the car, which was also wired with explosives, causing it to explode.
The soldiers rushed to the area and killed the Palestinian before conducting searches to rule out the possibility of additional attackers who might still be around.
Ynet stated that one person was mildly injured, and another sustained minor cuts but didn’t require medical attention.
The Israeli army and the Internal Security Agency are examining whether the two attacks were coordinated.
