In a clash between Palestinians and Israeli settlers in the West Bank, Palestinians hurled stones at the Israelis, one of whom responded by opening fire on the stone throwers, according to Israeli media and Israel Police.
Three settlers and three Palestinians were wounded in the exchange, police confirmed.
According to the police, who did not specify the identity of the stone-throwers, the incident occurred near Route 437. The scene of the clash took place near a farm that was established by settlers in recent months with the intention of pushing Palestinians out of the grazing areas, Walla reported.
The police added that the firearm involved was a military weapon.
“Under the command of the Ma’aleh Adumim station commander, [police officers] are currently operating at the scene, and an investigation has been opened to determine the circumstances of the incident,” the police stated.
Following the incident, Israeli emergency medical service Magen David Adom stated that it had evacuated five of the wounded individuals, including two of the Palestinians, to the Shaare Zedek Medical Center and Hadassah-University Medical Center in Jerusalem for further medical treatment.
The two Palestinians were a man in his 30s and a 62-year-old man with serious injuries, MDA added. The other wounded Palestinian, a 33-year-old man who suffered light injuries, was evacuated by the Palestinian Red Crescent.
According to Walla, the Ben Yishai Farm, near where the incident occured, sits on a hill overlooking Route 437 and is in an area where Bedouins have lived for many years.
The Bedouins have repeatedly complained about harassment from the farm’s residents, the outlet added.