The terrifying moment Palestinian disguised as a reporter stabbed an Israeli soldier before being shot dead, as violence mounts

  • WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT 
  • The brutal attack comes amid dramatically escalating tensions between Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank
  • Israeli troops today shot dead a Palestinian posing as a news photographer who stabbed a soldier in Kiryat Arba
  • Palestinians set fire to the Jewish holy site Joseph's Tomb, in the city of Nablus, condemned as a 'despicable act'
  • Israeli security forces have been deployed in great numbers this month after violence began escalating on October 1
  • See full coverage of mounting tensions between Palestinians and Israelis in Israel 

By Thomas Burrows for MailOnline

Published: 07:23 EST, 16 October 2015 | Updated: 15:34 EST, 16 October 2015

In these distressing images, a bloodied Israeli soldier lies wounded beside a knife-wielding Palestinian who was shot dead after disguising himself as a member of the Press.

Amid rising tensions in the region, the man dressed as a news photographer and then stabbed and wounded an Israeli soldier.

As soon as his guise was uncovered, the man in black jeans and trainers was shot dead by Israeli troops.

Scroll down for video 

A knife-wielding Palestinian launches a savage attack on an Israeli soldier, after getting close to an armoured truck by disguising himself as a member of the press

A knife-wielding Palestinian launches a savage attack on an Israeli soldier, after getting close to an armoured truck by disguising himself as a member of the press

Amid rising tensions in the region, the man dressed as a news photographer and then stabbed and wounded an Israeli soldier. As soon as his guise was uncovered, the man in black jeans and trainers was shot dead by Israeli troops.

Amid rising tensions in the region, the man dressed as a news photographer and then stabbed and wounded an Israeli soldier. As soon as his guise was uncovered, the man in black jeans and trainers was shot dead by Israeli troops.

A bloodied soldier grimaces after a man in a 'press' T-shirt was shot and killed in the West Bank city of Hebron. A soldier attempts to subdue the attacker by kicking his face

A bloodied soldier grimaces after a man in a 'press' T-shirt was shot and killed in the West Bank city of Hebron. A soldier attempts to subdue the attacker by kicking his face

The Palestinian was shot dead after wounding an Israeli soldier today in a sign of escalating tensions, in a spate of violence that has continued throughout October

The Palestinian was shot dead after wounding an Israeli soldier today in a sign of escalating tensions, in a spate of violence that has continued throughout October

Israeli soldiers gather round the wounded man, as the knife-wielding Palestinian is laid out on his back in the middle of the road

Israeli soldiers gather round the wounded man, as the knife-wielding Palestinian is laid out on his back in the middle of the road

Military spokesman Arye Shalicar told AFP the way the man was dressed 'allowed him to approach the soldier' in the West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arba, the army said. 

Photos showed the man wearing a black T-shirt with the word 'press' emblazoned on it.

Elsewhere today, two more Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli military in the Gaza Strip. 

The Gaza clashes occurred during what Palestinians called a 'Friday of revolution' against Israel and saw 98 others wounded or injured.  

Israeli soldiers prepare to shoot the knife-wielding Palestinian, who launched a brutal attack on the solider seen bleeding in the background

Israeli soldiers prepare to shoot the knife-wielding Palestinian, who launched a brutal attack on the solider seen bleeding in the background

After the attacker was shot, the Israeli troops turned their attention to their wounded colleague, who can be seen to be covered in blood

After the attacker was shot, the Israeli troops turned their attention to their wounded colleague, who can be seen to be covered in blood

The wounded soldier gradually collapses following the savage attack, while the dead knife-wielding man lies on his back on the road

The wounded soldier gradually collapses following the savage attack, while the dead knife-wielding man lies on his back on the road

The wounded soldier looks desperately for help from his military colleagues as the shock and loss of blood forces him to his hands and knees

The wounded soldier looks desperately for help from his military colleagues as the shock and loss of blood forces him to his hands and knees

The man had a knife gripped in his right hand, with which he attempted to kill an Israeli soldier, but he was shot dead as he attacked

The man had a knife gripped in his right hand, with which he attempted to kill an Israeli soldier, but he was shot dead as he attacked

It comes amid escalating tensions between Palestinians and Israelis this month. 

Last night, Palestinians torched the Jewish holy site of Joseph's Tomb.

Rioters set fire to the site revered by Jews in the West Bank city of Nablus, just hours after Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu called on the Palestinian leadership to resist from such attacks.

It was condemned by the Israeli army as a 'despicable act', while Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas insisted the site would be repaired.  

The wounded Israeli soldier is tended to by his comrades after he was stabbed by a Palestinian man who was then shot dead 

The wounded soldier lies along side his dead attacker, as his military colleagues attempt to stem the loss of blood after today's attack

The wounded soldier lies along side his dead attacker, as his military colleagues attempt to stem the loss of blood after today's attack

The wounded soldier's uniform is stripped away as his colleagues attempt to stem the loss of blood while waiting for an ambulance to arrive

The wounded soldier's uniform is stripped away as his colleagues attempt to stem the loss of blood while waiting for an ambulance to arrive

Soldiers tend to the stabbed Israeli soldier after they shot dead his attacker who was wearing a Press T-shirt to get near to the unit

Soldiers tend to the stabbed Israeli soldier after they shot dead his attacker who was wearing a Press T-shirt to get near to the unit

The blooded soldier lies on the floor after being stabbed by the Israeli soldier who had a 'Press' T-shirt on, blood covers the violent scene

The blooded soldier lies on the floor after being stabbed by the Israeli soldier who had a 'Press' T-shirt on, blood covers the violent scene

The wounded Israeli soldier is carried away on a stretcher and into an ambulance after he was stabbed by a knife-wielding Palestinian

The wounded Israeli soldier is carried away on a stretcher and into an ambulance after he was stabbed by a knife-wielding Palestinian

Palestinians overran Joseph's Tomb overnight, attacking it with petrol bombs.  

Palestinian police dispersed the crowd and firefighters extinguished the blaze before Israeli security forces arrived. 

This is not the first time the tomb has come under attack. Palestinians tried to set fire to it again last year and virtually destroyed the site in 2000 after Israeli guards withdrew amid clashes. 

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas criticised the fire at the religious site in the northern city of Nablus.

Palestinians have torched the Jewish holy site of Joseph's Tomb overnight in the West Bank city of Nablus, as religious tensions escalate

Palestinians have torched the Jewish holy site of Joseph's Tomb overnight in the West Bank city of Nablus, as religious tensions escalate

The shrine is under Palestinian control and off-limits to Israelis except on escorted trips organised by the army

The shrine is under Palestinian control and off-limits to Israelis except on escorted trips organised by the army

Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli soldiers near the border fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip today

Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli soldiers near the border fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip today

He had not explicitly condemned any of the recent attacks until this one on Joseph's Tomb.

He said the 'illegal' arson 'offends our culture and our religion and our morals' and said a committee would investigate and the damage would be repaired. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday reiterated his willingness to meet Mr Abbas, while accusing him of inciting and encouraging violence.

'It's time that president Abbas stops not only justifying it, but also calling for it,' Mr Netanyahu told reporters.

Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians have escalated in the last month - pictured are Israelis at the shooting range

Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians have escalated in the last month - pictured are Israelis at the shooting range

A man holding what appeared to be a knife, was shot dead at a check point near the city's Damascus Gate amid claims of an attempted stabbing. Israeli police are pictured standing around his body

A man holding what appeared to be a knife, was shot dead at a check point near the city's Damascus Gate amid claims of an attempted stabbing. Israeli police are pictured standing around his body

A Palestinian protester pulls a burning tire behind him during clashes with Israeli security forces near West Bank

A Palestinian protester pulls a burning tire behind him during clashes with Israeli security forces near West Bank

JOSEPH'S TOMB...REVERED BY JEWS AND MUSLIMS

Joseph's Tomb, inside a compound in the Palestinian refugee camp of Balata in Nablus, has been the scene of recurring violence between Israelis and Palestinians.

Many Jews believe it to be the final resting place of the biblical Joseph, while Muslims believe that an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yussef (Joseph) Dawiqat was buried there two centuries ago.

It was ransacked and burnt by Palestinian rioters at start of second uprising in October, 2000.

The shrine is under Palestinian control and off-limits to Israelis except on escorted trips organised by the army. 

But the latest round of violence shows no sign of abating, with Palestinians calling for a 'Friday of revolution' against Israel.

Last week, a 20-year-old from the West Bank city of Hebron was shot dead in front of TV cameras after allegedly trying to stab a security guard near Damascus Gate. 

Later in the evening, heavily-armed police stormed a supermarket in downtown Jerusalem after an elderly woman was stabbed outside a bus station. 

Earlier attacks included a man driving his car into a bus stop of Israelis before hacking one of them to death. 

Israeli security forces have been deployed in increasing numbers in the past fortnight. 

The violence began on October 1, when a suspected cell of the Islamist movement Hamas murdered a Jewish settler couple in the West Bank in front of their children. 

Eight Israelis have been killed in a wave of knife attacks and 31 Palestinians have died this month.  

Beginning on Sunday, some 300 soldiers will reinforce the police, stretched by the unrest.

The last time soldiers were deployed in such large numbers was in 2002, during the second Palestinian uprising.

The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the upsurge of violence.  

US Secretary of State John Kerry, who plans to travel to the region 'in the coming days' also warned the Palestinian leader not to incite violence. 

 

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