11 Oct 2018 | 10:21 PM UTC
Israel/Palestinian Terr.: Stabbing attack reported in West Bank October 11
Palestinian stabbing attack wounds IDF reservist outside Samaria Territorial Brigade base near Har Brakha and Itamar (West Bank) October 11; another Israeli woman wounded by friendly fire as assailant escapes scene
Event
A Palestinian man wounded an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reservist soldier in a stabbing attack outside the Samaria Territorial Brigade base near Maskit Junction, close to the West Bank settlements of Har Brakha and Itamar, on the afternoon (local time) of Thursday, October 11. The assailant reportedly fled the scene after the attack; another Israeli woman was wounded by friendly IDF fire. Following the stabbing, the entrance to Nablus was closed and Israeli forces erected roadblocks in the city. Additionally, all entrances to Huwara, the town to which the assailant likely escaped, have been blocked by Israeli forces. Similar Palestinian stabbing attacks targeting Israeli security forces are possible in the near-term.
Context
On October 7, two Israelis were killed in a shooting attack in the Barkan industrial zone. Both the October 7 and October 11 attacks were allegedly perpetrated by the same attacker, whose motives and potential links to known militant organizations remain unclear.
Advice
Individuals in the West Bank are advised to monitor developments to the situation, anticipate delays in travel in and around Nablus over the coming hours, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities and their home governments. Some Western governments advise their citizens against all travel to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and areas near the Israeli-Lebanese, Israeli-Syrian, and Israeli-Egyptian borders.
