By Mustafa Deveci, Awad al-Rujoub and Aysar al-Ais

JERUSALEM / RAMALLAH, (AA): Israeli soldiers killed a 60-year-old Palestinian woman in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Sunday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Earlier, the Israeli army and a Palestinian security source confirmed that a woman, Rihab Mohammad Mousa Za’oul, was shot and wounded.

The official Palestinian WAFA news agency, citing a security source, said the incident occurred at a junction near the Israeli settlement bloc of Gush Etzion.

In a statement, the Israeli military claimed that the woman attempted to stab Israeli soldiers at the junction.

It said an Israeli soldier shot and neutralized the woman. No Israeli soldiers were injured.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said the woman, who was from the village of Husan west of Bethlehem, was rushed to the hospital, Sha’arei Zedek Israeli medical center, in Jerusalem, in critical condition.

She was later pronounced dead after succumbing to her wounds. Her corpse remains are held by Israel.

Also, Israeli forces wounded five Palestinians in Nablus in the northern West Bank.

According to eyewitnesses and local sources, Israeli soldiers raided the town of Beita and wounded three Palestinians with live bullets and another two Palestinians with plastic bullets.

While those wounded by live bullets were taken to the hospital, those hit by plastic bullets were treated at the scene.

Palestinian territories including the West Bank and East Jerusalem have been under Israeli occupation since 1967.

*Ahmed Asmar in Ankara contributed to this report

[Photo: Rihab Mohammad Mousa Zaoul, 60, killed by Israeli soldiers near Bethlehem, Palestine on 2 May 2021. photo by imemc.org]