By Anees Barghouti
NABLUS, Palestine (AA) - A Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli troops in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Thursday after allegedly trying to stab a soldier manning a checkpoint, the Israeli army said in a statement.
According to the army, the Palestinian assailant attacked the soldier with a knife at Tapuach Junction in the northern West Bank.
"Israeli forces at the scene shot the assailant resulting in his death," the army stated.
The Palestinian Health Ministry, for its part, announced that 18-year-old Jihad Harb had been shot and killed by Israeli forces at the Zatara checkpoint south of the West Bank city of Nablus.
According to Palestinian figures, close to 255 Palestinians have been killed since the current uptick in Israeli-Palestinian violence began roughly 14 months ago.
Israel, for its part, says 42 Israelis have been killed in attacks by Palestinians over the same period.