An Israeli soldier stands still by his tank as the one-minute siren sound marking the beginning of the Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldier is heard across Israel, near Mefalsim, by the border with Gaza, April 13, 2021. — Reuters pic RAMALLAH, May 14 — Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank today after he attempted to stab a soldier, the army and Palestinian health ministry said.

The army said “the assailant arrived in his vehicle to a military post adjacent to the community of Ofra, north of Ramallah, and accelerated” towards a soldier before the attempted stabbing.

It said the alleged assailant had been “neutralised,” and that there were no Israelis injured in the attack.

The Palestinian health ministry confirmed the man’s death.

He is the fourth Palestinian killed by Israeli in the West Bank since Monday, when a conflict between Israel and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza escalated.

Violent protests have flared across the West Bank amid the Gaza hostilities, which has seen Gaza-based armed groups launch more than 1,800 rockets at Israel.

Israel has responded with heavy air strikes and artillery fire. Nine people have died in Israel from Gaza hostilities and 119 people have been killed in Gaza. — AFP