Knife-wielding assailant shot dead in West Bank

A Palestinian who was reportedly armed with a knife was shot and killed at a checkpoint in the illegally occupied West Bank on Tuesday the Israeli army said.

The incident occurred at the entrance to Bani Na'im, a village to the west of Hebron that has been tightly secured by Israeli forces in recent months.

According to the army, the assailant approached a checkpoint with a knife and attempted to stab a soldier. "Responding to the immediate threat, forces fired at the assailant, resulting in his death," it said in a statement.

The Palestinian health ministry confirmed a Palestinian had been killed but had no immediate details of his name or age.

Reuters news agency reported that there has been a surge in stabbings and related attacks targeting Israeli security forces in recent days, ahead of the anniversary of a wave of violence that began last October.

Since October 2015, at least 218 Palestinians have died in violent incidents in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.

On Monday, Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in the West Bank and two Israeli police officers were stabbed near the Old City of Jerusalem, Reuters added.

Palestinians have accused Israel of using excessive force and say that some of those killed posed no threat or had no intention of attacking anyone.