Israeli soldiers kill Palestinian teen in West Bank

QALQILIYA: A Palestinian teenager was shot in the head by Israeli soldiers on Wednesday night during a raid on the city of Qalqiliya in the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian health ministry revealed on Thursday that he was taken to the Qalqiliya State Hospital with serious head injuries. He succumed to his wounds soon after. The youth reportedly provoked soldiers operating in the residential area by throwing stones at them.

Palestinian news agency Wafa identified the teenager as 14-year-old Faris Abu Samra.

Earlier it was reported that another Palestinian man was killed in a West Bank raid further south, in the Al-Ain refugee camp on the outskirts of Nablus.

According to Al Jazeera, Israeli troops said they entered the camp to arrest a “suspected militant”. As troops encircled a house in the refugee camp, a gunfight ensued, resulting in Mohammed Abd al-Hakim Nada being shot in the chest. He later died from his injuries.

Officials say 2023 is on track to be the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank since the United Nations (UN) began keeping track of fatalities in 2005.

In a Protection of Civilians report, the UN found 112 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank between January and May 29. This is more than double the 2022 tally within the same timeframe.

The report also noted that Israeli forces have injured approximately 409 Palestinians, including 41 children.

Previously, 2022 was the deadliest year for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. A reported 150 people were killed, 33 of which were children. This is the sixth consecutive year where the death rate is seeing an annual increase.

The rising number of fatalities last year prompted UN experts to condemn the violence on Palestinians.

Qalqiliya is located in the northwest part of the West Bank. It is surrounded by Israel’s separation wall, a structure the UN considers illegal.

Read also: Israeli army reservists say they are fighting for its democracy