Two Israelis wounded in Jerusalem knife attack

Two Israelis were wounded, one critically, in a knife attack in east Jerusalem on Friday, police said. Police said the attacker had been “neutralized” without specifying whether he had been killed or wounded.

The Old City, where the attack took place, has been the scene of numerous stabbings of Israelis by wildcat Palestinian assailants in recent years.

The first Israeli was stabbed near Damascus Gate. The second was attacked near Jaffa Gate on the other side of the walled city. Security has been stepped up across Jerusalem during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan.

Tens of thousands of believers were expected to gather at the Old City’s politically-contentious al-Aqsa mosque compound later for the last Friday prayers of Ramadan.

Palestinian teenager shot dead

A Palestinian teenager was shot dead by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on Friday, the Palestinian health ministry said.

In a statement, the ministry said Abdullah Ghaith, 16, “died after he was shot by Israeli occupation soldiers close to Bethlehem and his heart and lungs were penetrated.”

Palestinian media suggested he was seeking to breach an Israeli fence to get into Jerusalem to pray at the revered al-Aqsa mosque on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

But there was no independent confirmation of the circumstances of his death and the Israeli army did not immediately respond to requests for comment.