Israeli soldiers kill Palestinian teen in West Bank raid

The teenager, Hamzeh al-Ashkar, was shot in the face by Israeli soldiers who raided the northern city of Nablus at around dawn, the ministry announced.

On Monday, Israeli forces shot dead at least five Palestinians and withheld their bodies near the occupied West Bank city of Jericho.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health identified them as Rafaat Wael Owidat, 21, Malik Awni Lafi, 22, Adham Majdi Owidat, 22, Ibrahim Wael Owidat, 27, Thaer Owidat, 28.

Israeli troops raided the Aqbat Jabr refugee camp near the city at dawn and was met with armed Palestinians, leading to exchanges of fire.

Palestinian medics announced that three more Palestinians were wounded, one of them in critical condition.

No Israelis were hurt.

The incursion followed nearly two weeks of Israeli closures and checkpoints on Jericho’s entrances and exits.

A total of 41 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire this year, 35 of whom were killed in January – the deadliest month in the West Bank since 2015.

Violence has spiked in recent days following an Israeli military raid on the Jenin refugee camp in late January in which 10 Palestinians were killed.

A day after the Jenin raid, a Palestinian gunman killed eight Israeli settlers in a shooting in an occupied East Jerusalem settlement.

According to reports, Israeli forces killed more Palestinians in the occupied West Bank in 2022 than in any single calendar year since the Second Intifada. Violence has spiked in recent days following an Israeli military raid on the Jenin refugee camp on 26 January in which 10 Palestinians were killed.

A day after the Jenin raid, a Palestinian gunman killed seven Israeli settlers in a shooting in an occupied East Jerusalem settlement.

According to data compiled by Middle East Eye, Israeli forces killed more Palestinians in the occupied West Bank in 2022 than in any single calendar year since the Second Intifada. Palestinians killed 30 Israelis in various attacks in the same period.