JERUSALEM, (Reuters) – Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian woman on the occupied West Bank, killing her after a series of Palestinian and Arab attacks against Israel.

According to Israeli soldiers, the woman fled towards soldiers in a location near Bethlehem. They did not hear their warning shots and calls for her to stop.

The soldiers opened fire on the suspect’s lower body as he approached,” said the military, noting that there was no weapon found on her and the matter was under investigation.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, she was in her 40s and had been pronounced dead at the hospital.

After 14 Palestinian terrorist attacks which have claimed the lives of Israeli civilians since March, Israeli forces were on alert.

Since January, more than 20 Palestinians, including many armed militants were killed by Israeli forces. Meanwhile, Palestinians reported an increase in violence from Israeli settlers in West Bank.

The Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Netanyahu made public remarks on Sunday to his cabinet. He said that security forces would not be restricted in stopping the “new wave” of terrorism.

TOMB DAMAGE

Mohammad Shtayyeh (Palestinian Prime Minister) condemned the death of the victim and held Israel “fully liable for these egregious crimes”.

Hussein al-Sheikh is a top Palestinian official who said that Israel’s expansion on Palestinian occupied territory and the visits of far-right Israelis at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque compound have resulted in an increase.

Al-Aqsa is a Jerusalem area that Israel took with the West Bank during 1967. It has always been a hot spot for violence. This was often in Ramadan (the Muslim holy month).

It is revered as both the Noble Sanctuary by Muslims and Temple Mount by Jews. This complex was the location of the two Biblical Temples.

Israeli security forces mounted recent operations in Jenin West Bank, which is a Palestinian stronghold. There have been deadly clashes and gunmen.

Israel on Sunday condemned the grave damage that Palestinians caused to Joseph’s Tomb in West Bank, which is a holy Jewish place. Israeli media published photos showing the grave partially smashed, and then torched.

“Attacking holy places is attacking the hearts of a country,” Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lepid said in a tweet. “We will prosecute the perpetrators, and we’ll repair Joseph’s Tomb.”

Office of Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian President, didn’t immediately comment.