Israeli man shot and killed in his car in West Bank’s Qalqilya in apparent terror
Troops enter city after killing of Amnon Muchtar, 67; army source says signs point to nationalistic motive; vehicle of victim set on fire after shooting
An Israeli civilian was shot in his vehicle by unknown gunmen in the West Bank city of Qalqilya on Saturday and later died of his wounds, the Israel Defense Forces said. A large military force entered the city after the incident.
On Saturday afternoon a military source said the deadly shooting appeared to be a terror attack.
In the evening he was named as Amnon Muchtar, 67, of Petah Tikva.
Pictures posted to social media showed his vehicle was later set ablaze.
Earlier the army had said it was probing the shooting along with police as a potential terror attack, but was also exploring the possibility it could have been criminally motivated.
After Muchtar was shot, Palestinian Red Crescent medics transferred him to an Israeli ambulance for treatment in critical condition, but he died of his wounds.
It was unclear what Muchtar was doing in Qalqilya. Israelis are barred from entering West Bank areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. The Kan public broadcaster reported that he may have been vegetable shopping.
Despite the ban, some Israelis continue to enter PA cities where prices for goods and services are significantly cheaper than in Israel.
The incident comes a day after police said that two wanted Palestinians, members of the Islamic Jihad terror group, were killed by officers in a raid on Qalqilya.
In a statement, police said that one of the wanted Islamic Jihad members was planning to carry out an attack in the area.
Police said officers from the elite Gideonim unit attempted to arrest the pair, when they shot at the troops.
Since October 7, troops have arrested some 4,150 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank, including more than 1,750 affiliated with Hamas.
According to the Palestinian Authority health ministry, more than 540 West Bank Palestinians have been killed in that time.
During the same period, 20 Israelis, including security personnel, have been killed in Palestinian terror attacks in Israel and the West Bank. Another three members of the security forces were killed in clashes with terror operatives in the West Bank.
