Israeli forces have killed a Palestinian, who was allegedly armed with a knife, in the occupied West Bank in yet another act of violence against Palestinian citizens.
The victim was reportedly heading from the West Bank city of Jenin to Israel on Saturday morning, when he was spotted at a checkpoint, shot and killed by Israeli troops.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society received the body of the Palestinian, whose identity has not been released yet.
An unidentified Israeli army spokesperson claimed that “the Palestinian attempted to stab security personnel at the crossing.”
Eyewitnesses, however, told the Palestinian Ma’an news agency that “there were no stabbing attempts” when Israeli forces opened fire on the Palestinian youth.
On Friday, Ramadan Thawabteh, an eight-month-old Palestinian baby, also died after inhaling tear gas fired by Israeli soldiers near his home in the West Bank town of Beit Fajjar.
Qassem Mahmoud Sabaneh, 20, and Ahmad Hamada Qneibi, 23, were also killed by Israeli troops on the same day in the West Bank city of Nablus and the occupied East al-Quds (Jeruslaem), respectively.
The developments come amid heightened confrontation between Israelis and Palestinians over the past few weeks, prompting many to believe that a third Intifada (uprising) might be occurring.
At least 72 Palestinians have been killed by Israelis since the beginning of October. About 7,200 others have been wounded either in direct confrontation with the Israelis or during protests.
The Israeli regime’s imposition of restrictions in August on the entry of Palestinian worshipers to the al-Aqsa Mosque in East al-Quds has become the lightning rod for increased tensions in the occupied lands. Palestinians say the Tel Aviv regime seeks to change the status quo of al-Aqsa.
Israeli extremists, escorted by army forces, have stepped up their raids on the sensitive site, which is Islam’s third holiest site after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina.