Israeli army kills Palestinian civilian in West Bank

Ramallah, Palestinian Territories (AFP):

Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said, with the army saying it returned fire after being shot at.

“Saleh Mohamed Sabra, 22, was killed by live bullets during an Israeli attack in Nablus,” the ministry said, adding that another Palestinian was wounded by gunfire.

The Israeli army said it was conducting an operation in Nablus to prepare to demolish the house of a man suspected of an alleged attack that killed two Israelis in the area in February.

“During the operation, suspects threw stones and fired in the direction of soldiers who responded with live fire,” the army said in a statement, adding that one suspect was hit.

The incident comes after a ceasefire ended five days of fierce fighting between the Islamic Jihad resistance group in Gaza and the Israeli army. 35 Palestinians were killed in the attacks by Israel on the occupied territories.

The conflict has this year claimed the lives of at least 150 Palestinians based on official sources from both sides.

Three Muslim Arab citizens of Israel have also been killed during the escalation.

Palestinians on Monday marked the “Nakba”, or catastrophe, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced from their homes following the creation of Israel 75 years ago.

Eyewitnesses have reported that clashes broke out between dozens of Palestinians and the Israeli army as the latter stormed Askar camp, using live bullets and gas bombs.

Tensions have been running high across the occupied West Bank in recent months amid repeated Israeli raids into Palestinian towns.

Israeli forces terrorize and raid Palestinian territories on an almost daily basis, mostly under the pretext of searching for ‘wanted Palestinians.’