2 yıl önce

Palestinian shot dead by Israeli forces in occupied West Bank

The killing is the first in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in almost two weeks.

AP

The conflict has claimed this year the lives of at least 97 Palestinians, 19 Israelis, one Ukrainian and one Italian.

Israeli forces have killed a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said, during what the army described as a "counterterrorism" operation.

The health ministry said on Monday Suleiman Ayash, 20, was "killed by the occupation (Israeli) bullets, in Aqabat Jaber camp," the site of previous deadly Israeli raids this year, near the city of Jericho.

The military said Israeli forces had arrested a "wanted suspect" during the raid, without elaborating on the accusations against them.

"During the activity, two suspects were spotted fleeing the scene. The soldiers responded with live fire," an army statement added, confirming "hits."

The army did not specify when asked whether Ayash was one of the two shot while fleeing.

Jericho governor Jihad Abu al Assal said that Ayash's body was being held by the Israeli military.

Israel regularly withholds the bodies of Palestinians killed during army raids or alleged attacks against Israelis.

The killing is the first in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for almost two weeks, following a cooling of tensions during the second half of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The conflict has claimed this year the lives of at least 97 Palestinians, 19 Israelis, one Ukrainian and one Italian, according to AFP news agency's count based on Israeli and Palestinian official sources.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War.