Israel soldiers 'deliberately hit' two Palestinians with vehicle, leaving one with brain bleeding

Israeli soldiers deliberately hit two Palestinians with a vehicle in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, leaving them injured, security sources said.

The troops followed the two young Palestinians who were on a motorbike and drove into them near Arrana, a village close to Jenin city, sources told the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

The men, who both live in Jenin, were transferred to hospital. 

One was left gravely injured with major brain bleeding, medics said. The second was moderately wounded, with bruises and cuts.

Palestinians in the West Bank are routinely subjected to violence from Israeli forces and illegal settlers, with 18 killed in the occupied territory so far in 2023.

At least 146 Palestinians were killed by Israeli security forces in 2022 in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem.

Last year's death toll was the highest since 2004, during the Second Intifada, or Palestinian uprising against the Israeli occupation.

Among those killed in 2022 was renowned Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, 51, who was shot dead by Israeli forces while covering a military raid on the Jenin refugee camp.

Israel began carrying out near-nightly raids in the West Bank last spring. The cities of Jenin and Nablus have been heavily targeted.

Agencies contributed to this report.