Muslim Arab Teen Hops Fence, Enters Random Home, Stabs 13-year-old Girl To Death in Her Bed
JERUSALEM — A Palestinian youth leapt over a fence surrounding a Jewish settlement in the West Bank and stabbed and killed a teenage girl on Thursday before he was killed by a resident, the Israeli military and the news media reported.
The assault in the settlement of Kiryat Arba was the latest in a series of violent attacks that began eight months ago and that have left over 30 Israelis dead. More than 210 Palestinians have also been killed, most while carrying out attacks or when thought about to do so.
June, however, has been a particularly deadly month.
The assailant was identified by Palestinian health officials as Mohammad Trayreh, 19, of Bani Naim, a sprawling town separated from Kiryat Arba by hills and a highway. He jumped over the settlement fence and walked to an isolated house where he stabbed the girl, identified by Israeli news reports as Hallel Yaffa Ariel, 13, in her bedroom. A photograph of the blood-spattered room was released by the Israeli military.
Mr. Tarayreh then stabbed one of the volunteer security officers at the scene before he was shot and killed. Ms. Ariel was rushed to a hospital, where she died. The security officerwas in moderate to serious condition, Israeli radio reported.