WORLD / MID-EAST
Palestinian shot dead after losing control of vehicle
Published: Sep 25, 2022 08:22 PM
A Palestinian driver who lost control of his car on a highway near the northern West Bank city of Nablus was killed, Palestinian security sources and the victim's families said.

The sources said that Mohammad Abu Kafia, 36, a resident of Bayt Ijza village northwest of Jerusalem, was killed by Israeli police in the evening when he was driving his car on Route 60 adjacent to the village of Jit, west of Nablus.

The sources added that Abu Kafia is a father of three who works as a school teacher.

Ramadan Abu Kafia, the cousin of Mohammad, told the official Palestinian news agency WAFA that Mohammad was shot dead by the Israeli ­police when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into an Israeli police vehicle.

He added that "after the car crash, instead of trying to help Mohammad, the Israeli police opened gunfire and killed him at the scene."

Over the past few months, the West Bank has witnessed growing tension between the Israeli army and the Palestinians.

More than 90 Palestinians have been killed since early January by Israeli soldiers, including children and women, according to official Palestinian statistics.

Meanwhile, 18 Israelis have been killed since March in a series of attacks carried out by Palestinians in Israel. In response, Israel carried out a campaign of arrests focused on the cities of Nablus and Jenin in the northern West Bank. Israel said the campaign had affected wanted Palestinians involved in carrying out attacks against Israel.