Thousands attend funeral of 2 slain Palestinians

Thousands attended a funeral on Sunday in the village of Beit Fajjar in the occupied West Bank for two Palestinians who were shot dead after a stab attack left an Israeli soldier injured.

Israeli authorities returned the bodies of Ali Abd al-Rahman al-Kar Thawabta, 20, and Ali Jamal Muhammad Taqatqa, 19, at a military checkpoint near the village of Husan, before an ambulance took them to the Beit Jala hospital.

The funeral procession started from the Beit Jala hospital before heading to the slain Palestinians' hometown of Beit Fajjar in the southern West Bank district of Bethlehem.

Mourners chanted slogans calling for revenge against Israel and raised Palestinian flags.

Thawabta and Taqatqa were killed on Thursday after carrying out a stab attack that injured an Israeli soldier near the illegal Israeli settlement of Ariel in the northern occupied West Bank district of Salfit. Witnesses told Ma'an that the two Palestinians were shot "dozens" of times.

In the aftermath of the incident, Israeli forces closed the entrances to Beit Fajjar and detained at least one resident of the town.

An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an on Sunday night that the blockade on the village was still being enforced and did not know when the roads would be reopened. more

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