Israeli soldiers have opened fire at a Palestinian taxi at a roadblock in the West Bank, killing a woman passenger.
An Israeli military source said soldiers fired at the vehicle on Saturday, hitting the woman, after it broke through the roadblock near the city of Nablus and its driver ignored warning shots from troops who gave chase for about a kilometre (half a mile).
Two passengers in the taxi who spoke to Reuters said the vehicle had slowed to about 30 to 40 kilometres per hour (20 to 25 mph) as it approached two military jeeps positioned on the road.
"We passed a first jeep and a second but they did not give us any sign to stop," said one of the passengers, who gave his name only as Taysir.
"A third jeep at a different junction opened fire at the taxi without warning. The taxi had pulled over about 30 metres before it reached the jeep that was blocking the road," he said.
Palestinian medics and witnesses said Kamleh al-Shooli, 20, and another seven passengers from the village of Asira al-Shamaleya had been on their way to Ramallah before sunrise to avoid early Israeli patrols in the area.
She died instantly after being hit by two bullets to the chest, the medics said.
"The driver was detained and taken for questioning," the military source said. "The incident is under investigation by field commanders. We are trying to figure out what they were thinking when they burst through the roadblock."
Israel maintains that roadblocks are vital to stop suicide bombers who have killed hundreds of Israelis since the start of a Palestinian uprising in September 2000. Palestinians and human rights group call such measures collective punishment.