Israeli soldiers kill 2 Palestinians

Jerusalem, Jan 8: Israeli troops killed two Palestinians and severely wounded another on Thursday after the three allegedly tried to stab soldiers in the West Bank, the Israeli army said.

According to a military spokesperson, three knife-wielding Palestinians arrived at the Gush Etzion Junction, a major crossroad in a Jewish settlement bloc in the West Bank, on Thursday night.

They tried to stab soldiers guarding the junction, and were fired upon, the spokesman said. No Israelis were injured in the latest incident amid a three-month-long wave of Israeli-Palestinian violence, Xinhua news agency reported.

At least 139 Palestinians, 23 Israelis and a US citizen have died due to the continuing violence between Palestinians and Israelis since the beginning of October 2015.

Israel has been accusing the Palestinian authority of "inciting" the violence, while the Palestinians say it is the result of 49 years of Israeli control of their lands.

IANS