An IDF soldier suffered severe gunshot wounds Sunday at an IDF base in northern Samaria. The soldier was taken to the Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera for treatment; the IDF launched an investigation into the incident.
A preliminary investigation revealed that the soldier took part in the base's routine weapons cleaning duty, during which a bullet was accidentally discharged from a weapon cleaned by another soldier, hitting the him in the back.
The solider received initial emergency care at the base and was taken to the hospital conscious.
Following the incident, the base ordered all troops to brush up on weapon discharge and cleaning protocols, in an effort to prevent such an incident form reoccurring.
The last grave incident of an accidental weapon discharged happened in September 2007 and involved a 19-year old Border Guard officer, whose M-16 rifle went off, killing one of his friends standing nearby.