Stabbings in West Bank
On Jan. 17, an Israeli woman was stabbed and killed in her home in the West Bank settlement of Otniel. A 15-year-old Palestinian was arrested for the attack. On Jan. 18 in the settlement of Tekoa, a pregnant woman was stabbed in a secondhand-clothing store; she and her baby survived. For this attack, another 15-year-old Palestinian was arrested.
On Jan. 25, two women in a grocery store parking lot in Beit Horon settlement were stabbed by two Palestinians, who were shot and killed by security forces during the attack. One of the women subsequently died of her wounds. Israeli police say that pipe bombs were found near the location of the attack.
On Jan. 23, a 13-year-old Palestinian girl was shot and killed in the West Bank after Israeli security forces say she ran at a guard while brandishing a knife.
The current spate of unrest began in August 2015 when rumors that Israel would limit access to the Temple Mount and al-Aqsa Mosque caused protests, which turned violent. The militant Palestinian group Hamas then called for a third intifada, encouraging individual attacks against Israelis.
Since Oct. 1, 2015, 25 Israelis, one American and a Palestinian have been killed by Palestinians either in knife or car-ramming attacks. At least 150 Palestinians have been killed during that same period by Israeli forces, about two-thirds of whom were described by Israeli authorities as assailants (using knives or vehicles), with the others killed during protests or clashes with Israeli security forces.