An Israeli soldier who was killed in a fierce gun battle in the West Bank on Thursday was killed by friendly fire, an army investigation has found.
Staff Sgt Ido Shapira, 20, was shot dead in error by a fellow soldier during a raid in search of suspected Palestinian militants in Jenin.
The Israeli army said five militants were arrested after the gun battle.
Ballistics tests confirmed a claim by another soldier that he accidentally fired in Sgt Shapira's direction.
A statement by the Israeli military said Sgt Shapira's death was ‘an unfortunate incident that happened in the course of fighting, in a complex terrain and under fire, in the framework of an operation to hinder ‘terror’ infrastructure’.