Palestinian woman shot dead by Israeli soldiers at checkpoint

Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian woman who approached a checkpoint between the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem reportedly carrying a knife.

The woman succumbed to her wounds after Israeli forces opened fire and did not administer any medical treatment at the Qalandiya checkpoint on Wednesday.

Video of the incident circulating online showed Israeli security personnel opening fire on the woman at close range.

Witnesses told local media the unidentified woman was left bleeding at the side of the road for “a long time” before being transported to a hospital in Jerusalem, where she was pronounced dead.

The woman approached security forces, ignored calls to stop, and pulled a knife before being shot in the leg, Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

The shooting “is being looked into”, he added.

Police distributed a picture of a yellow-handled knife they said she was holding.

A number of local and international human rights groups have raised concerns that Israeli security forces used excessive force when confronting Palestinians suspected of carrying out attacks.

Israeli police relaxed open-fire regulations in 2015, permitting officers to shoot live rounds at those throwing stones or firebombs.