Ax used in the attack
Ax used in the attackIDF Spokespersons Unit

Israel on Friday returned the body of the Arab terrorist who on Thursday attacked IDF forces in Gush Etzion with an ax, but it appears that move was erroneous.

The IDF Spokesperson said on Friday evening that the returning of the terrorist’s body was the result of “an error stemming from a misunderstanding that will be investigated”.

No details were provided in the statement, but it added that terrorists’ bodies are returned in accordance with the decisions of the political echelon.

Thursday’s attempted attack occurred near Al-Arroub, between Hevron and Bethlehem. The Palestinian Authority health ministry identified the slain terrorist as Ibrahim al-Gharooz Baradeah, 45, who was shot dead by troops before he could carry out his intentions.

It was the second attempted Arab terror attack to hit Israel in minutes, after a stabbing by two young Arab boys was prevented by alert police officers in the Old City of Jerusalem.

The two attempted attacks shattered a period of relative calm, after Prime Minister Netanyahu and senior security officials noted a major dip in attacks over the past several weeks.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)