Disabled Palestinian shot after suspected stabbing attempt

A Palestinian man was shot and wounded on Friday after allegedly attempting to stab Israeli soldiers near a checkpoint in the West Bank village of Awarta.

According to Sami Awwad, who heads the Awarta village council, Israeli forces shot 23-year-old Hassan Khaled al-Qady, causing moderate abdominal wounds, after which he was taken to the Israeli Beilinson hospital.

Qady is classified as a person with disabilities, Awwad told The New Arab, and he was previously admitted to the Bethlehem Psychiatric Hospital.

He had been detained and assaulted several times by Israeli forces, who released him after learning of his mental illness.

Eyewitnesses said he was only riding his bike near the checkpoint when he was shot, without carrying any weapons, contrary to the Israeli forces’ claim.

No Israelis were injured in the case.

Israeli forces reportedly deployed around Nablus and closed several checkpoints in the area.

The incident comes only a few days after a deadly shooting by Palestinian gunmen in Tel Aviv left four Israelis dead and several injured.

In response, Israel has banned Palestinians from entering the occupied territories except for "medical and humanitarian" purposes.

Israeli authorities also vowed to send hundreds more troops into the occupied West Bank and announced it would not return the bodies of the Palestinians to their families for burials.

An upsurge in violence since October has killed 205 Palestinians and 28 Israelis.

Israel blames the attacks on Palestinian incitement while Palestinians lay the blame on frustration stemming from nearly five decades of Israeli military occupation.