Israeli soldier killed in West Bank truck-ramming attack

Israel’s military said a soldier was killed Wednesday when the driver of “a Palestinian truck” rammed into “forces conducting operational activity” in the occupied West Bank.

The suspected assailant was “neutralised” by Israeli forces “and an armed civilian” at the scene of the attack near the Jewish settlement of Givat Assaf, north of Ramallah, an army statement said.

It later identified the dead soldier as 24-year-old Staff Sergeant Geri Gideon Hanghal.

The West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967 and is separated from the Gaza Strip by Israeli territory, has seen a surge of violence during nearly a year of the Israel-Hamas war, though Palestinian car-ramming attacks have been rare.

The latest incident comes days after a Jordanian truck driver shot dead three Israeli guards at a West Bank crossing with Jordan.

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Since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel triggered the war in Gaza, Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 662 Palestinians in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

At least 24 Israelis, including security forces, have been killed in Palestinian attacks during the same period, according to Israeli officials.

The West Bank is home to some three million Palestinians as well as 490,000 Israelis who live in settlements that are illegal under international law.