Palestinian man shot dead over alleged stabbing attack in occupied West Bank

The Israeli military alleged in a statement that the suspect arrived at the Rantis Checkpoint, northwest of Ramallah, in a car that had apparently been stolen early on Friday morning.

“While Israeli soldiers inspected his vehicle, the suspect attacked a soldier and attempted to steal his weapon. Another soldier in the area shot at the suspect and neutralized him,” the statement further claimed.

The suspect died of his wounds at the scene. The Palestinian Authority Health Ministry said it was notified of the man’s death, indicating the body was held by Israel.

The ministry identified him as 29-year-old Mahdi Samir Muhammad Bayadseh.

The Israeli military said the soldier was slightly hurt and taken to a hospital for further treatment.

Tensions have been running high in the occupied West Bank over the past year, with the Israeli military conducting violent raids under the pretext of detaining what it calls “wanted” Palestinians.

As a result of these attacks, 157 Palestinians, including 28 children, have lost their lives and many others have been arrested in 2023.