Bethlehem: The Israeli army killed a Palestinian on Friday, claiming that he was "neutralized" while attempting a stabbing attack near the town of Joura al-Shama, south of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. The army's statement did not specify the name or age of the Palestinian but mentioned that he approached the area "carrying a knife and attempted to stab," prompting a security guard to fire and "neutralize" him. No injuries were reported among the Israeli forces involved in the incident.

According to Anadolu Agency, Palestine's official Wafa news agency reported that Israeli forces shot a young man with live ammunition near the Israeli settlement of Shama. However, the agency did not confirm the army's account of an attempted stabbing. The medical condition of the individual involved remains unclear, as per the latest reports available.

Since the start of Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the Palestinian Health Ministry reports that at least 1,006 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in the West Bank by Israeli forces and settlers. This escalation in violence comes after the International Court of Justice declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory illegal in a landmark opinion last July, demanding the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.