A Palestinian terrorist entered Maoz Yehuda Farm near the village of Osarin in the West Bank on Monday morning and stabbed an Israeli man, about 20, who had apparently approached him to speak with him and find out what he was doing.
According to the Samaria Regional Council, the terrorist arrived at the farm in a commercial vehicle, got out holding a knife and asked the farm owner where his gun was before beginning to stab him.
(Photo: MDA)
Hatzalah Without Borders said the victim was stabbed several times “until the knife broke.” The terrorist then fled in a vehicle.
Large numbers of forces were dispatched to the area, including troops from the elite Duvdevan unit, Unit 636 and the Nahal Reconnaissance Battalion, and launched a manhunt for the attacker.
Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan called it “a very serious attack.”
“I strengthen the hands of the IDF soldiers and pray for the recovery of the wounded man,” he said. “I demand that all roads in the area be closed immediately, that the terrorist be captured and that everyone who assisted him be held accountable.”
The IDF said: “Following the report of a stabbing attack in the area of the village of Osarin in the Samaria Brigade, a terrorist armed with a knife stabbed an Israeli civilian and fled the scene. Large numbers of IDF troops were dispatched to the area and began pursuing him. The IDF imposed a closure on villages in the area.”
Magen David Adom said the report of the attack was received by its Yarkon District emergency center at 10:38 a.m. The victim was treated at the scene by MDA teams and an IDF medical force before being evacuated to Beilinson Hospital in moderate-to-serious condition.
“When we arrived, we saw a young man about 20 years old who was fully conscious and suffering from several stab wounds,” MDA emergency medic Aviel Mamalia said. “We provided him with initial medical treatment together with an IDF medical force, and he was evacuated to the hospital in moderate-to-serious condition.”
Tensions in the West Bank have been rising, with Israel’s security establishment concerned about a possible series of attacks ahead of the Jewish holiday period.
On Sunday, it was reported that IDF forces and Yamam counterterrorism officers, acting on Shin Bet intelligence, operated against a Hamas terrorist infrastructure in the village of Aqaba and arrested 10 terrorists. A rocket without a launcher was found during one of the searches, along with a pit containing concealed weapons, including explosives intended for the production of explosive devices.
On Friday, Duvdevan troops also thwarted what was described as a significant attack when they arrested a terrorist cell that was on its way to carry out an attack.