A near tragedy occurred near Kever Yosef in Shechem overnight Wednesday when a Givati soldier accidentally discharged a bullet from his gun at his friend’s chest while they were riding in an armored vehicle.

B’Chasdei Hashem, the soldier was only very slightly injured thanks to the ceramic protective vest he was wearing.

The IDF stated: “During the withdrawal of IDF forces from Kever Yosef in Shechem, where soldiers were protecting mispallelim, a security incident occurred in a vehicle when a bullet was accidentally fired from a soldier’s weapon. The bullet hit a soldier’s ceramic vest. There were no casualties and the incident is being investigated.”

The incident happened after IDF forces escorted hundreds of mispallelim to Kever Yosef. Arabs opened fire at the buses and an intense gun battle ensued. According to Palestinian reports, an 18-year-old Palestinian was killed and 31 Palestinians were injured, three critically.

B’chasdei Hashem, no mispallelim or Israeli security forces were injured in the incident.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)