NABLUS, Palestinian Territories: In what the army described as a “car ramming attempt”, Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian – the second to be killed within hours – near Nablus in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said Saturday.
Fawzi Mukhalifa, 18, “was killed by the occupation (Israeli) bullets in the town of Sebastia” late on Friday, said the Palestinian health ministry. He was the second Palestinian to be killed by Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank within hours.
The army said troops had responded to “a car ramming attempt” in the northern West Bank town “by firing towards the suspects who were in the vehicle. The driver was neutralised.”
The army further said another “suspect” who had been in Mukhalifa’s car was wounded and arrested.
The deadly incident came amid escalating tensions in the West Bank – home to nearly three million Palestinians – which Israel has occupied since the 1967 Six-Day War.
The territory has seen a surge in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities.
Earlier on Friday, the Palestinian health ministry reported the death of 17 years old Mohammed al-Bayed near the city of Ramallah.
Bayed succumbed to injuries sustained by live bullets fired by Israeli forces in the village of Umm Safa, the ministry said, while Israeli border police accused him of attacking officers.
The force said in a statement a “violent disturbance” had broken out “during which suspects threw stones and explosives” at Israeli forces.
“A security guard responded by shooting at a suspect who threw a bomb,” the statement said, adding that “a hit was detected”.
This year, violence linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has killed at least 198 Palestinians, 27 Israelis, one Ukrainian and one Italian, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources from both sides.
They include, on the Palestinian side, combatants and civilians, and on the Israeli side, mostly civilians and three members of the Arab minority.
The West Bank is home to nearly three million Palestinians, as well as around 490,000 Israelis who live in settlements considered illegal under international law. —AFP
