An Israel Defense Forces soldier was shot dead Tuesday near the northern West Bank settlement of Shavei Shomron while guarding an annual Sukkot march by settlers in the area.
The soldier, who has not yet been named, sustained upper body wounds in the shooting. He was treated at the scene of the attack and then taken to Meir Medical Center in the central city of Kfar Saba, where he was later pronounced dead.
A preliminary military investigation into the attack suggests that a gunman opened fire with an automatic weapon from a moving vehicle at the location of the troops before fleeing.
According to Israeli media reports, IDF troops entered several Palestinian villages in the vicinity to search for the suspected gunman who fled the scene of the attack.
An armed Palestinian group called the Lion’s Den has claimed responsibility for the attack.