Police officers opened fire at the wheels of a vehicle stolen from central Israel overnight on Thursday after the driver refused to pull over, crashed through a police checkpoint, and collided with a patrol car while attempting to cross into the West Bank.
After breaching the checkpoint and hitting the patrol car, the vehicle accelerated toward IDF soldiers nearby, who believed their lives were in danger and fired their weapons at the vehicle's tires.
Police reported that the suspect is receiving medical treatment, and authorities have initiated an investigation to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident.
This incident follows a series of criminal events at checkpoints between Israel and the West Bank over the past few months.
In April, approximately 20 Palestinians successfully breached military checkpoints to enter the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank, according to the IDF.
IDF sources stated that dozens broke through barricades in the Palestinian city surrounding the camp, which is designated as a closed military zone.
At least 11 Palestinians were detained by Israeli forces operating in the area, and an official IDF statement mentioned that most of the suspects have been apprehended.
Attempted ramming near Jerusalem
In February, Israel Police announced the detention of a suspect being investigated for an attempted ramming incident that occurred at a checkpoint in the West Bank near Jerusalem.
The suspect turned himself in hours after fleeing the scene, and IDF soldiers pursued him. No injuries were reported.
Shortly afterward, police at the Etzion Station near Beit Jala, just over 10 km north of the location of the attempted ramming, approached a car that was stopped on the side of the road.
When police attempted to inspect the vehicle, the driver reversed, struck the police car, and then fled the scene, pursued by both police and IDF soldiers. According to the police report, the driver was heading toward Bethlehem.