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A Palestinian woman attempted to ram a vehicle into a crowd of Israeli civilians and soldiers waiting at a busy bus stop at a West Bank junction.

The incident took place late yesterday afternoon at the Gush Etzion junction. A car, being driven by a 16-year-old Palestinian female, veered across several lanes and rammed into a bus stop, where several people were waiting. No commuters were injured in the attack, but three people were treated for shock, including a pregnant woman.

The assailant, later named by Arabic media as Fatemah Taqatqa from nearby Beit Fajar, was shot by Israeli soldiers at the scene and incapacitated. She was treated by IDF medics and taken to hospital for further treatment.

The Gush Etzion junction has been a particular flashpoint for Palestinian attacks, since a wave of violence erupted in October 2015. Although attacks have slowed in recent months, they have been responsible for 46 deaths.

Also yesterday, the Shin Bet announced that two Palestinian terror cells in the West Bank had been uncovered and the assailants subsequently arrested in January. A two-member cell, affiliated to the Fatah faction of Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, was apprehended in a-Ram, near Jerusalem. They had already been involved in incidents including the throwing of pipe bombs and Molotov cocktails and the Shin Bet claimed they were planning a shooting attack on Israeli security forces.

Another cell comprised of two Hamas members was apprehended in al-Aroub, near Hebron. Ahmed al-Rahman, 25, and Mahand Jabber Muhammed abu Sal, 28, were suspected of planning shooting attacks on civilians or IDF forces in the area. Al-Rahman was previously imprisoned in Israel.

In a statement, the Shin Bet said: “The exposure of the cells and the operations they were planning shows the high level of motivation of terror operatives to carry out serious terrorist attacks… the Shin Bet, together with the IDF and Israel Police will continue to work with determination to uncover and thwart the activities of terrorist cells, including grassroots terrorist activities.”