Jerusalem, June 9 (EFE) A Palestinian was shot dead on Friday at a checkpoint in the West Bank after assaulting an Israeli soldier and trying to take his weapon, the Israeli army said in a statement.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, the Palestinian arrived from the Israeli side of the Rantis Checkpoint in an allegedly stolen car and had been stopped by Israeli authorities at the checkpoint.
“While IDF soldiers inspected his vehicle, the suspect attacked an IDF soldier and attempted to steal his weapon. Another soldier in the area shot at the suspect and neutralized him,” the IDF statement said.
The Israeli soldier from whom he tried to seize the weapon was slightly injured, received medical treatment at the scene and was later taken to a hospital, the military said.
“The incident is under review,” the IDF added and at present investigators are treating it as a criminal incident rather than a political one.
The latest Palestinian death comes amid an uptick in violence in the region.2023 has been the deadliest year in the Palestine-Israel conflict since the Second Intifada from 2000 to 2005.
So far this year, 122 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and Israel, most of them militants in violent clashes with Israeli troops, as well as multiple civilians, including 20 minors.
Another 34 Palestinians died in Gaza bringing the death toll among Palestinians to 156 so far this year.
On the Israeli side, 20 people have died in attacks by the Palestinians, most of them settlers, including three minors. EFE
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