Israeli soldiers shot and killed, on Wednesday, a young Palestinian woman and a man at the Qalandia terminal, north of occupied Jerusalem. The soldiers fired more than fifteen bullets targeting the woman, and prevented Palestinian medics from approaching the two.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said the slain woman has been identified as Maram Saleh Abu Ismael, 24, from Beit Surik town, north of occupied Jerusalem; she is a mother of two daughters identified as Sarah and Rimas.
The young man remained unidentified until the time of this report; Israeli sources said, so far, there is no known relation between the two.
Eyewitnesses said the soldiers fired a barrage of bullets on the two Palestinians, and left them bleeding on the ground, in addition to preventing Palestinian medics from even approaching them, after declaring the area a closed military zone.
They added that the soldiers fired at least twenty rounds on the two Palestinians from a distance, and did not even approach them.
The Israeli Police said members of the Border Guard Units, opened fire on the Palestinian woman as she “walked towards the roadblock holding a knife in her hand.”
The soldiers later started firing gas bombs and concussion grenades on dozens of Palestinians in the area, in order to force them away.
Israeli media sources said the army has been on high alert allegedly after receiving information about an attack that would be carried out by a “Palestinian with an explosive belt.”
They added that the alleged planned attack could target Israeli soldiers, and medics who rush to the area of the attack, by detonating the explosive belt among them.
According to Israeli daily Haaretz, the two Palestinians “were ordered to stop, but continued to approach soldiers in a drive-through lane, not intended for pedestrians.”
It added that the police said the woman had her hand inside her bag, while the man had his hand behind his back.
Haaretz also said that the two eventually heeded to the demand to stop, and that the soldiers then turned away but the woman “pulled out a knife and threw it at one of the soldiers, before the army and police guards shot the two.”
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