Israeli police shoot, injure deaf and mute Palestinian man at checkpoint

Israeli police shot and wounded a deaf and mute Palestinian at a checkpoint between Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank on Monday morning.

The Palestinian Authority's official Wafa news agency reported that witnesses saw Israeli security guards open fire at the man as he walked the car lane of Qalandiya checkpoint, injuring him in the leg.

The Israeli army closed the checkpoint and evacuated the injured Palestinian to a hospital in Jerusalem, before reopening Qalandiya for traffic, according to the news agency.

In a statement, Israeli police said the man had "approached them suspiciously" and did not heed calls to halt.

"The guards fired warning shots and then when he continued to approach them, the suspect was shot in the leg, injured lightly/ moderately," the statement read.

"The man age 60 did not hear or respond as he cannot hear or communicate."

Qalandiya is the biggest Israeli checkpoint between occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Numerous Palestinians have been shot and killed in recent years at checkpoints.

In June, the killing of an unarmed special needs Palestinian, 32-year-old Eyad al-Halak, by Israeli police in Jerusalem sparked uproar.