Israeli killed in car attack near West Bank settlement
JERUSALEM -- A Palestinian rammed his vehicle into a group of people in the West Bank on Thursday morning, killing one Israeli and injuring another, the Israeli military said.
The incident comes after a wave of Palestinian attacks on civilians and security forces erupted in 2015. At times the attacks were daily but they have subsided in recent months.
The military said Thursday’s assault took place near the settlement of Ofra and that the Palestinian was apprehended after the attack. Rescue services said the killed Israeli was 20-years-old. The injured Israeli was evacuated to hospital for treatment.
Israeli media report the Israelis were standing near a bus stop at the time.
Since September 2015, Palestinians have killed 42 Israelis and two visiting Americans, mainly in stabbing, shootings and assaults using cars.
Israeli forces have killed at least 242 Palestinians during the same period. Most of the Palestinians killed have been identified as attackers by Israeli authorities.
Israel says the bloodshed is fueled by a Palestinian campaign of incitement, compounded by social media sites glorifying attackers and encouraging violence. Palestinians say it stems from frustration over decades of Israeli rule in territory they claim for a state.
Rights groups have accused Israel of using excessive force in some of the confrontations.