IDF: Soldiers didn't delay woman, medics arrived promptly, but to no avail.
By ASSOCIATED PRESSidf checkpoint 298.88(photo credit: AP)
A pregnant Palestinian woman died at a military checkpoint in the West Bank early Tuesday, the IDF spokesman said.
The woman, who was not showing any signs of labor, arrived at the Tapuah checkpoint in the northern West Bank and told soldiers she did not feel well and needed to get to a doctor in the city of Nablus, the army said.
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According to the IDF statement, army medics rushed to the scene, arriving within minutes, and began treating the woman. In addition, a Palestinian ambulance was called.
When the Palestinian medics arrived, they began aiding the army medics in treating the 29-year-old woman, who was in the third month of her pregnancy, said Eyad Alkam, the driver of the ambulance.
Despite the treatment of the medics, however, the woman died.
"No one is guilty in this death since the woman arrived at the checkpoint in serious condition," Alkam said.
Soldiers did not hold the woman up at the checkpoint, the army said. Instead, the woman requested the assistance from the soldiers as she was waved through on her way to Nablus.
The Palestinian ambulance took the woman's body away, the IDF spokesman said.
Palestinian officials did not immediately comment on the death.
