The Palestinian man drove to the Maccabim checkpoint, hit an Israeli officer and wounded him seriously, the Israeli army said in a statement on Wednesday.

The man then got out of his car and tried to attack the officer with an axe before he was “neutralised,” the army statement added.

The killed Palestinian man was identified by the Palestinian Health Ministry and local sources as Habes Rayyan, 54, from the village of Beit Duqqu, northwest of Jerusalem, Xinhua news agency reported.

A video clip published on social media platforms shows the alleged entire process of the incident.

The incident came a day after exit polls suggested the return to power of hawkish former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right bloc in the Israeli parliamentary elections.

Tension has been mounting between Israelis and Palestinians since March when the Israeli army intensified its military actions and operations against Palestinian militants and activists by storming Palestinian towns and cities in the West Bank.

At least 130 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip since January, and more than 20 Israelis killed in attacks by Palestinians since March, according to official Palestinian and Israeli figures.

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