Palestinian stabs Nepali woman in Israel

Kathmandu, November 29

A Nepali woman caregiver was stabbed by a Palestinian while waiting at a bus stop on Shmagar Street in Jerusalem today.

According to local online ynetnews.com the victim was identified as Ishwori Thapaliya, 31, from Nepal. She is receiving treatment at Sha’are Tzedek hospital and is out of danger.

Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tara Pokhrel, however, said he was not aware of the incident.

“It was my day off, I went to Makor Baruch (a neighbourhood in Jerusalem) and I was listening to music on my headphones,” Ynet quoted Thapaliya. According to her, “Someone came up from behind and stabbed me in the back. I was scared; I saw blood all over my hand.”

Thapaliya, who is celebrating her birthday on Tuesday, said she didn’t see anyone who could help her at that moment. “I crossed the street and found a bus driver and he helped me, put a towel on my wound and called an ambulance.” At first she didn’t understand that she had become the victim of a terror attack, “But I understood that it was a terror attack because I have been listening to the news lately.” She wanted to thank the bus driver who helped her, and said, “I was scared because of what has been going on.”

“An initial investigation revealed that the woman was standing next to a bus stop on Shamgar Street, when a Palestinian man approached her and stabbed her in the back before fleeing the scene. The wounded woman was evacuated to Sha’are Tzedek hospital. Forces conducted a man hunt to find the assailant,” the news report quoted Israeli police.

The news report states that the police said the suspect was a 17.5-year-old Palestinian, who tied himself to the attack. Two other Palestinians were detained for questioning by police. The news report states that this was the second stabbing attack of Sunday morning. In the first incident, a Border Police officer, in his 20s, was wounded at the entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem.