Palestinian killed in Israeli arrest raid in West Bank
Jerusalem, Mar 23 (EFE).- A Palestinian man was shot and killed on Thursday after Israeli forces conducted an arrest raid in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said.
The deceased, identified as Amir Abu Khadijeh, 25, died of a gunshot wound to the head in the northwestern city of Tulkarem, according to the Palestinian ministry of health.
Palestinian official news agency Wafa said Israeli forces stormed Abu Khadijeh’s family farm in which he was hiding and barricaded its main entrance, before shooting him dead when he resisted arrest.
Israeli authorities confirmed the operation to arrest the wanted Palestinian, saying he was suspected of being involved in several shooting attacks against Israeli settlements and security forces.
According to a military spokesman, Abu Khadijeh pointed a weapon from inside the house at troops, who responded with live fire.
The incident comes amid spiraling violence between Israelis and Palestinians.
At least 87 Palestinians, including 16 children, have been killed this year, an average of more than one per day, following military operations, Palestinian-led attacks and clashes with Israeli troops, the deadliest start to the year in the West Bank since 2000.
On the Israeli side, 15 people died in 2023.
The wave of violence broke out at the end of March last year when the Israeli military launched near-daily raids in the occupied West Bank in response to a series of deadly attacks against Israelis. EFE
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