Israeli Army Kills Palestinian Man In Hebron, Raising Tensions In West Bank

The Israeli army has reportedly killed a Palestinian man in Hebron, West Bank, according to Palestinian sources. Iyad al-Najjar, 46, from Yatta, a town south of Hebron, was shot in the head by Israeli soldiers, as confirmed by the Ramallah-based Palestinian Health Ministry in a brief statement released Monday. The Ministry did not provide additional details.

Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that al-Najjar was shot near the separation wall on the outskirts of Yatta. The Israeli army has not yet commented on the incident.

With al-Najjar’s death, the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire and bombings in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since October 7, 2023, has risen to 645, including 147 children, according to the Health Ministry.

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Witnesses reported to the Turkish news agency Anadolu Ajansi that an Israeli military unit fired at Palestinians near the separation barrier, hitting al-Najjar. He was taken to a hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Earlier on Sunday, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported the deaths of two Palestinians by Israeli gunfire near Salfit.

The frequency of Israeli military raids in the West Bank has increased, particularly following the Gaza conflict in October 2023, which resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian casualties. In addition to military actions, Palestinians have faced violent attacks from illegal Israeli settlers.

Since the onset of this conflict, at least 646 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 5,400 injured by Israeli forces in the occupied territories, as reported by the Health Ministry.

The International Court of Justice, in a landmark opinion on July 19, declared Israel’s prolonged occupation of Palestinian territories unlawful and called for the evacuation of all Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.