Two IDF soldiers were wounded, one seriously, in a ramming attack on Sunday night in what the Palestinians are claiming was a car accident. Hamas praised the “martyrs” killed in the attack while the nearby residents claimed it was an automobile accident that took place on the way to work – at 3:30 a.m.
At that approximate time, an IDF vehicle experienced mechanical problems outside of the Arab village of N’ima, northwest of Ramallah in Samaria. The soldiers had been conducting searches for wanted terrorists in the village.
“Terrorists rammed their vehicle into a number of soldiers who had stopped by the side of the road at the entrance to the village,” the IDF said in a statement.
The soldiers fired at the attacking vehicle, killing two of the occupants and lightly wounding the third.
RAMMING ATTACK: IDF soldiers who stopped on the side of the road NW of Ramallah were run over by terrorists. In response, the troops fired towards the terrorists, neutralizing 2 of them & lightly injuring another.
Additional troops are on the way to the scene. pic.twitter.com/qOmOd8Uxrm
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 4, 2019
The IDF said that the occupants of the car had just come from throwing firebombs at a nearby highway.
“Additional Molotov cocktails were found in the same car in which the terrorists carried out the attack” the army said.
The Arab residents of the village staged a riot after the incident which was dispersed with tear gas.
Hamas released a statement praising the attack.
“The deaths of these two martyrs west of Ramallah this morning proves that the Palestinian people will continue its struggle against the occupation until it obtains all of its rights and frees its land,” the terrorist group said.
“The message of the young rebels in the West Bank is that they will not calm down unless and until the occupation is expelled, the holy sites are liberated, and the plan to Judaize Jerusalem is terminated.”
Local residents claim that the incident was an automotive accident, emphasizing that the road is poorly lit and was wet from recent rain. Maan News, a Palestinian news source, cited this claim.
“Sources added that the three were workers and were on their way to their workplace, when they were surprised by Israeli soldiers, their vehicle slipped on the wet road hitting the soldiers’ military vehicle,” Maan wrote.
