A three-year-old boy who was hit Thursday in the crossfire between IDF soldiers and terrorists has succumbed to his wounds.
The boy was injured by IDF soldiers returning fire after terrorists shot at at military outpost near the Jewish community of Neve Tzuf in Samaria.
On Thursday evening, terrorists fired at an IDF post near the town of Neve Tzuf in the Binyamin region. No one in the post was injured.
A short while later, two Palestinian Authority Arabs were brought to Magen David Adom for care at the entrance to Neve Tzuf: a three-year-old boy with critical injuries, and a forty-year-old man with serious injuries.
MDA reported that the boy was taken to Tel Hashomer hospital by helicopter in an unstable condition after his heart was restarted by medical teams. The man was taken by the Red Crescent for further treatment in Palestinian Authority-controlled territory.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit said that an initial investigation found that the two Palestinian Authority Arabs were injured as a result of fire by IDF soldiers, who were firing back at the terrorists.
The Thursday statement said, "Assailants fired in the direction of the community of Neve Tzuf. IDF soldiers stationed at a military post adjacent to the community responded by firing a number of bullets. IDF soldiers are searching the area for the assailants."
"After the shooting, two injured Palestinians arrived at the entrance of the community to receive medical treatment. One of the injured Palestinians, among the two, is a three-year-old child, was evacuated in an IDF helicopter to an Israeli hospital," it added.
"After an initial inquiry, it was revealed that two assailants carried out a shooting for several minutes toward the community. IDF soldiers identified the shooting and responded with live fire. As a result of the IDF’s live fire, two Palestinians were injured. The IDF regrets harm to non-combatants and is committed to doing everything in its power to prevent such incidents. The incident is under review," the IDF statement concluded.