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Three Israelis were killed and another three were wounded Tuesday in an attack in the .

The alleged assailant, identified by the Palestinian health ministry as 18-year-old Palestinian Mohammed Souf, was shot dead by Israeli forces. He came from the West Bank town of Hares.

الشاب الفلسطيني محمد صوف (18 عاما) هو منفذ عملية الطعن والدهس المزدوجة شمال سلفيت، استمر في ذبح ودهس المستوطنين الإسرائيليين نحو 20 دقيقة فقتل 3 منهم وأصاب عددا آخر قبل أن يرتقي شهيدا.

— رضوان الأخرس (@rdooan)

"A terrorist stabbed a security guard near the entrance to the Ariel Industrial Park. The terrorist then stabbed three people at and adjacent to a nearby gas station, before he fled in an apparently stolen vehicle," an Israeli army statement.

"Shortly afterward, the terrorist crashed the vehicle into other cars on the Route 5 highway, before getting out and stabbing another person, according to medics. He then stole another vehicle and drove it against traffic, crashing into more cars, before he got out and was shot dead by soldiers and armed civilians."

The Palestinian health ministry had issued a statement about a man shot dead by Israeli forces at the site, without providing further details.

Israeli forces are investigating how he managed to escape from the area.

Israeli soldiers entered Hares following the attack to find any individuals who might have aided Souf, carrying out patrols and searching residents.

تغطية صحفية: "قوات الاحتلال تقتحم بلدة حارس في سلفيت وتداهم منزل عائلة منفذ عملية أرئيل صباح اليوم ".

— فلسطين الآن (@paltimes2015)

| قوات الاحتلال تفتش جميع المارة وتحقق معهم في الحي الذي يسكن به منفذ عمـ ـلية "أرئيل" والذي يقع في بلدة حارس في سلفيت

— فلسطين الآن (@paltimes2015)

Despite the deaths of Israelis, Palestinian civilians have overwhelmingly been the victims of shootings by Israelis and settlers in the occupied West Bank.

in the West Bank, with the Israeli army making near-daily raids on Palestinian towns.

Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed, wounded, or detained.

Gaza was also bombed by Israel earlier this year, with dozens of civilians in the besieged area killed.

A number of Israeli citizens and soldiers have also been killed in attacks.

The latest escalation comes after the Israel elections which should see its most far-right government ever, led by former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies.

The cabinet will likely include politicians known for incendiary hate speech against Palestinians.

(������ & Agencies)