Palestinian teen killed in clashes with Israeli settlers in West Bank
Jerusalem, Oct 6 (EFE).- Israeli settlers allegedly killed a young Palestinian during fresh clashes when they entered the village of Huwara in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, Palestinian authorities said on Friday.
The victim, a 19-year-old, lost his life on Thursday night after being shot in the heart by Israeli settlers, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a statement.
Red Crescent medical services said approximately 60 Palestinians were treated for suffocation due to tear gas fired by Israeli troops.
The Israeli army acknowledged its soldiers used anti-riot gear, but denied any use of live ammunition by settlers during the nighttime confrontations.
The clashes occurred hours after a Palestinian fired at a vehicle carrying an Israeli family travelling on Huwara road.
The shooting incident left no one injured, and the attacker was shot dead by Israeli soldiers after escaping the scene.
Following the incident, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, residents of Huwara faced an attack by dozens of Israeli settlers on their homes and properties.
During the clashes, the Israeli settlers shot at the Palestinian teenager, who died shortly after in a hospital from the severity of his injuries.
According to the Israeli military, stones were thrown by both Israeli civilians and Palestinian residents during the clashes, which left one Israeli slightly injured and caused damage to Israeli vehicles.
It prompted Israeli troops to open fire with live ammunition at one point, military sources confirmed.
A spokesperson for the office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the actions of settlers and the Israeli army, saying they “have crossed all red lines” with a “policy of killings and incursions of Palestinian cities, villages, and camps.”
On Thursday, two Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire in the Tulkarem area in the north of the West Bank after shooting at an Israeli motorcyclist, amid continued Israeli military operations in Palestinian towns in the region.
The West Bank and Israel are experiencing their greatest spiral of violence since the Second Intifada (2000–05) in 2023, which has left 204 Palestinians killed so far, mostly in clashes with Israeli troops and attackers. The victims include civilians and at least 37 minors.
It also saw an increase in attacks against Israelis by Palestinians. The Israeli side reported 32 deaths, most of them settlers and five minors.
Israel took control of the West Bank in 1967 and has maintained a long military occupation and colonization of the territory. EFE
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