2 Palestinian teens shot dead by troops; IDF says they were throwing firebombs
West Bank has seen a surge in violence for more than a year, particularly since the Israel-Hamas war erupted on October 7
Two Palestinian teenagers were killed by Israeli troops overnight in the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority health ministry said Sunday.
The ministry said a 16- and a 17-year-old were killed west of Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, near Jericho.
One teen was shot in the head and the other in the chest, the ministry said.
Ashraf Hmedat was killed during an Israeli raid on the refugee camp on Saturday, the official Wafa news agency reported.
Mohammed Al-Baytar, 17, was also injured and arrested in the incident. He was taken to a Jerusalem hospital in critical condition, where he subsequently died of his wounds, Wafa said.
The Israel Defense Forces did not confirm the deaths but said two suspects had hurled Molotov cocktails toward the nearby settlement of Vered Yeriho, endangering civilians and property.
“(Israeli) soldiers in the area responded with live fire toward the suspects. Hits were identified,” the military said.
The West Bank has seen a surge in violence for more than a year, particularly since the Israel-Hamas war erupted on October 7.
At least 520 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli troops or settlers since the Gaza war broke out, according to Palestinian officials, who say a further 5,000 have been injured.
Attacks by Palestinians have killed at least 14 Israelis in the West Bank over the same period, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Since October 7, troops have arrested some 4,000 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank, including more than 1,700 affiliated with Hamas.
