An Israeli man was shot and killed on Saturday in the Palestinian city of Qalqilya in western Samaria, according to the military.
The victim was identified by Israeli media as Amnon Muchtar, 66, from Petach Tikvah in central Israel. The father of five reportedly owned a vegetable store and was said to have traveled to Qalqilya to buy produce.
Muchtar was reportedly transferred to an Israeli ambulance at the entrance to the city by Palestinian medics. Images circulating online appeared to show that his car had been set on fire.
Israeli forces were operating in Qalqilya following the deadly attack, and authorities opened a probe into the incident.
Israelis are barred from entering Qalqilya, along with other regions of Judea and Samaria under full Palestinian administrative and security control, collectively designated Area A under the Oslo Accords.
BREAKING: a 66-year-old Israeli man was murdered in his car in a terror attack in Qalqilya.
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) June 22, 2024
Media told that he was shot dead by local residents.
His car was torched after the shooting.
May his memory be a blessing pic.twitter.com/8iQ77fsl0g
Images emerge of a suspected Palestinian terror attack on an Israeli civilian earlier today in Qalqilya. https://t.co/heeYNHK3SJ pic.twitter.com/s3rdnYiFGj
— Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) June 22, 2024
“In recent times, we have witnessed many cases of Israeli citizens entering Area A, which is under the control of the Palestinian Authority,” the Israel Police said in a statement issued on Sunday. “Entering these areas is prohibited by law for Israeli citizens and may cost human lives, as has happened in recent days.”
The shooting comes a day after Israeli forces killed two wanted Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists during a raid in Qalqilya.
Police said the PIJ members, one of whom was planning an attack in the area, opened fire on officers during an attempted arrest, prompting them to return fire.
Today Israeli special forces eliminated terrorists in Qalqilya who were on their way to carry out a big terrorist attack. pic.twitter.com/8bKBZxKWXO
— 🇮🇳Jitendra pratap singh🇮🇳 (@jpsin1) June 22, 2024
That, in turn, followed an attack in which a 78-year-old Israeli man was mortally wounded near Qalqilya on Thursday.
According to the police, first responders “received a report of a man in his 70s who arrived at the Eliyahu Crossing in Samaria unconscious and is being treated by Magen David Adom personnel.”
An initial probe found that assailants had severely beaten the man and stolen his car.
Since Oct. 7, Israeli forces have arrested some 4,150 wanted Palestinians across Judea and Samaria, of whom more than 1,750 are affiliated with Hamas.
