Jerusalem, Oct 21 (EFE).— The Israeli army killed a Palestinian teenager on Saturday in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) alleged.
The incident is part of a wave of violence that has gripped the region and claimed the lives of 84 Palestinians, including 30 minors, in the West Bank since the conflict between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas began in Gaza two weeks ago.
The PNA health ministry stated that 17-year-old Muhammad Suleiman Awajna was killed by Israeli gunfire in Jericho.
The incident occurred during an Israeli military operation in Jericho and its two refugee camps, Aqbat Jabr and Ein al Sultan, which led to clashes.
Awajna received multiple gunshot wounds during the confrontation, the Palestinian official news agency, Wafa, said.
As part of the same operation, the Israeli army demolished the two-story house of the Maher Shalon family.
Maher Shalon had been arrested in March on allegations of involvement in an attack on Israelis. During the demolition, several neighboring houses were damaged, according to Wafa.
The Israeli army has not released any official information regarding the events.
On the previous day, two teenagers were killed by Israeli army gunfire in the West Bank. The victims were identified as Uday Fawaz Mansour, 17, and Suhaib Iyad Muhammad al Sous, 15.
Violence in the occupied West Bank has escalated significantly since the Islamist Hamas movement, which effectively governs the Gaza Strip, launched a massive attack on Israel by land and air on Oct 7, triggering a war that has resulted in over 5,500 casualties on both sides of the border in just 15 days.
On Thursday, Israeli forces conducted an operation in the Nur Shams refugee camp, resulting in the deaths of 12 Palestinians and one Israeli policeman in the West Bank.
Since conflict between Israel and Hamas began, a total of 84 Palestinians (including 30 minors and one woman) have lost their lives due to Israeli troop fire and attacks by Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank.
Additionally, official figures from the PNA indicate that more than 1,400 Palestinians have been wounded in the days of violence.
Israeli forces have been conducting raids in the West Bank for several days to detain people suspected of having ties to Hamas, resulting in the arrest of over 500 suspects.
The military has allegedly used live ammunition, tear gas canisters, and sound grenades during these operations.
Israel took control of the West Bank during the 1967 Six-Day War and has maintained a long-standing occupation and colonization of the territory since. EFE
yo-ssk
