Kiryat Gat following an attack (file)
Kiryat Gat following an attack (file)Police spokesperson unit

An Arab roughly 15 years of age from the Hevron region confessed on Friday during a police investigation to planning to stab Jews, after IDF forces found a knife on his possession at a checkpoint in the region.

The Arab youth was apprehended just over a week ago on Friday afternoon near the security border in Hevel Lakhish, an area between the Judean hills and the coastal plains.

On his person was found a knife with an 11 centimeter (just over four inches) blade.

Under initial investigation at the site it was determined that he arrived in the region to conduct an attack, apparently on the background of the arrest of a family member of his, who was apprehended for attempting to conduct a terror attack in similar circumstances.

But the suspect firmly denied that he intended to conduct an attack, claiming that he wanted to be arrested due to troubles at home.

Over the course of the week his arrest was extended several times and he was investigated again.

Finally on Friday, he admitted that his claims were false, and that he planned to stab Jews in Kiryat Gat, a coastal city to the east of Ashkelon.

Kiryat Gat has been targeted several times in the recent wave of Arab terror attacks.

Late last month an Arab terrorist stabbed four people in the city, including a 51-year-old man, a 56-year-old woman, a 44-year-old woman, and a 13-year-old girl.

The terrorist was later caught along with two Arabs who aided him; he had entered from the Hevron region, much like the 15-year-old who confessed on Friday.

In early October an Arab terrorist stabbed a soldier in the city and stole his gun, before being shot dead in a shootout with police after holing up in a residential building.