Stabbing attack: in Gush Etzion, 1 injured
Young Israeli woman waiting for bus stabbed by Palestinian; sustains light-moderate wounds. Stabber flees, IDF launches search. Woman's mother: It's a Hanukkah miracle it didn't end worse than it did
A 22-year-old Israeli woman was stabbed at the Gush Etzion junction Saturday night and sustained light-moderate wounds. Ayala Margalit is currently hospitalized in moderate condition at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem.
Ayala was waiting at a bus stop at the junction when she was suddenly stabbed in her lower back. According to eyewitnesses, she was stabbed by a Palestinian who then fled the scene.
Another person waiting at the bus stop was unharmed.
"A big miracle happened. It could have been much worse. It's a Hanukkah miracle," said Rina Margalit, Ayala's mother, to Ynet on Sunday.
Rina thanked God that it ended the way it did: "Thank God that the wounds were only external and not internal. Ayala is in good condition and her spirits are high."
"Ayala told me that she was standing at a bus stop together with another young man. An Arab arrived, walking in a suspicious way. She asked him again and again in English whether he speaks English. He walked back and forth, then stood at the bus stop. He came to stab the young man, who managed to escape. When he approached Ayala, she tried to turn and run, but then the terrorist stabbed her back and arm. She fell and stuck her foot out to trip the terrorist. He fell and then escaped," explained Ayala's mother.
Ayala told her mother that she tried to stop the bleeding herself. "The young man came back. The two of them called Magen David Adom. In the meantime, civilians passing by in cars stopped to help. Security forces also arrived on the spot," recounted Rina.
The emergency service workers said a number of stab marks were found on the woman's back, but that she was fully conscious and recounted the incident.
Security forces, which were notified of the incident just before midnight, arrived at the scene and launched a search for the perpetrator. As part of the search, the IDF stationed a number of checkpoints in the area.
Gush Etzion Council head Shaul Goldstein told Ynet that, according to estimates, the terrorist came from the south. "The government is weak, it invites pressure from without, and may demonstrate weakness to those that wish to hurt us," he said.
Violence in the West Bank in recent years has been seen mainly in individual attacks, which have not ceased. Some three weeks ago, a 49-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman were stabbed near a gas station in Kiryat Arba.
The two sustained light wounds, and the stabber was shot by a Nachshon Battalion soldier and sustained fatal wounds.
Almost two weeks ago, another terror attack was foiled, when two explosive devices meant to harm IDF forces near Beit El were uncovered. Hours earlier, another device was found in Beit Omar.
On Wednesday, a 20-year-old Palestinian was caught trying to smuggle six improvised pipe bombs into Jerusalem via the Qalandiya checkpoint.
At the start of the month video footage of a stabbing attack that took place on October 25 was made public. A young Palestinian woman took out a knife she was concealing in her cloths, and stabbed one of the security guards at the Qalandiya checkpoint in his lower abdomen. The man sustained moderate wounds.
