By Anees Bargouthi

RAMALLAH, (AA): Two Palestinians were shot dead by the Israeli army in the occupied West Bank following an alleged stabbing attack, the Israeli army said.

The head of Beit Fajjar Municipality, south of Bethlehem, said the two Palestinians have been identified as Ali Jamal Mohammad Taqatqa, 19, and Ali Abdul-Rahman al-Kar Thawabta, 20.

The Israeli army, in a statement, said that two Palestinians were shot dead after they allegedly stabbed a female soldier.

He said the army surrounded the town, after identifying the two Palestinians, and installed roadblocks, preventing the residents from entering or leaving it.

According to the statement, the attack occurred near the Jewish-only illegal settlement of Ariel, near Salfit, West Bank.

Eyewitnesses told Anadolu Agency that Israeli soldiers fired at least 30 bullets at the Palestinian attackers and left them to bleed to death.

Head of the Emergency Unit in Qalqilia Monther Nazzal said the soldiers prevented Palestinian Red Crescent medics from even approaching the two Palestinians and forced them away while cocking their guns, and threatening to shoot them.

Israeli daily Haaretz said David Adom paramedics provided treatment to the wounded Israeli soldier, in her twenties, after she suffered a stab wound to the upper body.

Haaretz added that the wounded woman, in her twenties, suffered moderate-to-serious injuries, and was moved to the Beilinson Hospital.

According to Palestinian figures, close to 200 Palestinians have been killed since the current uptick in Israeli-Palestinian violence began on Oct. 1 of last year.

Israel, for its part, says 33 Israelis have been killed during the same period.

Additional reporting by Imemc

[Photo: Ali Jamal Mohammad Taqatqa, 19, and Ali Abdul-Rahman al-Kar Thawabta, 20 shot dead by Israeli soldiers in West Bank. Photo by Imemc]