Terrorists perpetrated two separate attacks on Tuesday morning in the Samaria region - a stabbing at a humanitarian aid checkpoint and a shooting from a spot near a mosque. IDF counter-terrorism operations continue unabated.
A soldier with the military police suffered light wounds when he was stabbed from behind by a 16-year-old terrorist at the Hawara humanitarian checkpoint, south of Shechem. The victim was treated at the scene before being transferred to a hospital. The youthful attacker was arrested and turned over to the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) for questioning.
Earlier on Tuesday, terrorists opened fire at an Israeli vehicle as it traveled on the highway near the Arab village of Nabi Elias, east of Kalkilya, in Samaria. No injuries were reported in the attack. IDF forces and emergency services responded to the attack, but no attackers have yet been identified.
One of the passengers in the targeted vehicle, who remained anonymous, told Arutz Sheva Radio that the shots came from the direction of the Nabi Elias mosque. "We realized we were hit," the man said, "and we immediately reported it to the emergency dispatcher."
The head of the Samaria Regional Council, Gershon Mesika, said that the shooting was a consequence of the demolition of Jewish-owned buildings at an unauthorized outpost on Monday. "It has again been proven," he said, "that genuflection to foreign political dictates and publicly harming pioneering residents encourages and puts wind in the sails of terrorism."
On the counterterrorism front in Samaria, IDF troops apprehended 13 people suspected of involvement in terrorism on Monday night as part of ongoing operations. In Antaba, east of Tulkarm, two suspects were arrested; in Silwad, north of Ramallah, seven suspects were arrested; in Na'alin, a town west of Ramallah where there have been many vigorous protests against Israel's security wall, an additional four suspects were arrested.
All the captured individuals were handed over to security personnel for further questioning and investigation.