IDF soldier killed in West Bank motorcycle crash

An Israeli soldier was killed Sunday afternoon after his motorcycle collided with a Palestinian minibus at the Yitzhar Junction in the West Bank.

The man, 22, was hit by the minibus after bypassing multiple Palestinian cars stopped at the intersection. He was identified as Aviah Anki from the outpost of Esh Kodesh.

A Magen David Adom paramedic who arrived at the scene said: “We saw on the road, near the motorcycle hit by the minibus, a young man, around 20 years old, unconscious, not breathing and with no pulse, suffering severe systemic damage. We tried to resuscitate him but unfortunately shortly thereafter a military physician pronounced the man dead at the scene.”

The driver was held by police, who launched an investigation into the deadly accident.

Initial reports say there is no indication that the accident may have been a terror attack.

Earlier Sunday morning, one man was killed and three others were wounded in a car accident on Route 25, the highway linking Beersheba and Dimona in southern Israel.

Two of the wounded were seriously hurt, according to rescuers. Firefighters and police are on site.

According to witnesses, one vehicle had flipped over on the road.

The injured were evacuated to Beersheba’s Soroka Medical Center by ambulances from the United Hatzalah rescue service.

The accident forced the shutdown of the highway during morning rush hour. Police asked that drivers use parallel roads to drive from Dimona to Beersheba, including routes 204 and 224 through Yeruham.